Susie Maynard was named Arkansas Elementary Art Teacher of the Year for 2023-24, but the White Hall School District instructor is quick to give credit to her coworkers.

“The only thing that sets me apart is that I have the best team,” Maynard said Tuesday. “That’s what makes me so good is the team. We have the best art team.”

The team puts together a district-wide art show every year at the White Hall Community Center featuring drawings, paintings, sculptures and more.

“We try to include every avenue of art,” Maynard said.

Maynard was acknowledged for her award at a WHSD board meeting. Arkansas Art Educators presented the honor to Maynard during the fall semester.

Maynard teaches kindergarten through fifth grades at Moody and Hardin elementaries. She has taught in the WHSD for at least 15 years and also spent a year in the Little Rock School District.

She values giving students a chance to problem-solve and think for themselves.

“I don’t feel like they have enough of that, and art is such a great avenue for them to make their own decisions, to make their mistakes and figure out, how do I solve this mistake?” she said. “How do I turn it into something really cool?”

Before approaching those questions, students do learn the basics from Maynard.

“We teach how to use the paintbrush, how to hold your pencil, how to draw different shapes and how to put it together, and then the student picks it up and carries it from there,” she said.

Other teachers nominated Maynard for the award and the AAE board decided on the winner, she said. Despite such a prestigious honor, she remains humble.

“I don’t think I stand out,” Maynard started, “but I …”

“Yes, she does,” Debbie Jones interjected. Jones is the assistant superintendent for curriculum. “There is creativity that she brings to the table, and it’s also opportunity for students to explore within their art.”

Maynard remarked: “She explains that best.”

Arkansas’ economic expansion continued in the last months of 2024 and positions the state to continue building momentum as the year opens, according to a regional economic analysis released Wednesday.

Nevertheless, rising prices could hinder growth and business executives are worried about persisting inflation and the potential economic hurdles that tariff increases could create. Christmas holiday sales were uplifting, coming in better than expected and brightening the outlook for 2025.

Sales were helped by a late Thanksgiving that fueled a spending spree and delivered a kickstart to the year, the Federal Reserve Bank reported Wednesday in its Beige Book economic analysis. The report covers 12 regional districts, including Arkansas and surrounding states in the St. Louis district.

“Retailers in our district indicated that December sales were stronger than in previous years,” Charles Gascon, the Fed economist for the Arkansas region, said Wednesday.

Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn gave a long-awaited update Wednesday on the status of senior outfielder Kendall Diggs, who suffered a torn labrum during the 2024 season.

Diggs, who exited a game against McNeese State in March with the injury, was hitting .357 at the time before finishing the year with a lowly .229 batting average.

It seems, after an offseason of recovery, the SEC veteran is on track for a major return for the Diamond Hogs.

“He’s 100% cleared to do everything now,” Van Horn said Wednesday. “Now, it’s all about timing at the plate. Getting that bat speed back that he’s had in the past. Seeing live pitching and just feeling confident…now it’s not about him being part of the team, because he’s going to be a big part of the team. It’s just a matter of how soon. We know what he can do when he’s full-go.”

A 6-foot-0, 210-pound lefty hitter from Olathe, Kansas, Diggs was named to the All-SEC Second Team in 2023 after slashing .299/.436/.547 with 12 home runs and a team-high 63 RBIs.

“You look at what (Kendall) has done in the past, he played 50-some games last year with major tears,” Van Horn said. “He’s swinging the bat, he’s going to hit live pitching tomorrow. When I say live pitching, not just batting practice, we’re talking live pitching. So, we’ll see how that goes. He’s a little bit behind, but he’ll get there.”

Even after his 2024 injury, many expected Diggs to be selected in the 2024 MLB Draft, and his return gave Arkansas another competitive piece in a loaded outfield full of transfer portal additions.

“He’s stronger than ever, even with the shoulder injury,” Van Horn said. “He’s had a chance to work on his lower half and he’s a full-grown man now. It’s time to go, and I think he’s excited about being out there.”

The Razorbacks will open their season Friday, Feb. 14, against Washington State at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville.