COMMUNITY

Text and photos courtesy of Rogers Public Education Foundation

Rogers Public Education Foundation Names 2026 Honorees

14th annual Wall of Distinction ceremony recognizes new inductees and a Legacy Award recipient

The Rogers Public Education Foundation has chosen two honorees to add to its Wall of Distinction and a recipient of the 2026 Legacy Award. The ceremony will be held Jan. 30 at the Rogers Heritage High School arena during the Rogers High School vs. Rogers Heritage High School basketball games. It will take place at 7 p.m., between the girls’ and boys’ games.

A reception will be held prior to the ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 each for access to the reception and game, including a reserved seat and access to the VIP lounge. Proceeds from the event will support the foundation’s mission of enhancing educational opportunities, funding innovative programs and fostering student success in the Rogers School District.

Wall of Distinction Honorees:

Ann Fry

Born in the Mississippi Delta and raised in Osceola, Arkansas, Ann Fry discovered early a passion for learning, leadership and service. With an unwavering belief in the power of public education, she has dedicated her career to helping students reach their full potential.

A graduate of Hendrix College, Ann majored in education and was deeply involved in campus life, serving in Cardinal Key, the Student National Education Association, and on the cheerleading and tennis teams. Her dedication earned her recognition in Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities.

Ann’s career took her to several communities before she and her family settled in Rogers in 1989. After many years teaching at Westside Elementary, Ann became a reading recovery specialist, working with young readers needing extra support.

Her teaching philosophy is simple but profound: “They don’t care how much I know until they know how much I care.”

Ann’s service extends throughout the Rogers community. She has volunteered with numerous organizations, including the Rogers Public Education Foundation, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Girls on the Run, Open Avenues, Samaritan House, Northwest Arkansas Food Bank and several Chamber of Commerce committees. She is an active member of P.E.O. Chapter CN, serves on multiple boards at First United Methodist Church and supports Tillery Elementary PTO.

Today, Ann teaches 4-year-olds at Brick Street Childcare and Learning Center. She enjoys ringing handbells at church, cheering on the Razorbacks, playing tennis, hiking in the Ozarks and spending time with her children — Jay Hunter Fry and his wife, Lesley, and McCrea Sikkink and her husband, Matt — and grandsons Thorin and Isaak.

Whether mentoring students, volunteering or baking her legendary chocolate chip cookies, Ann embodies the spirit of compassion and community.

Ellen Turner

A native of Hope, Arkansas, Ellen Turner earned a Bachelor of Arts in biology from Hendrix College and a Master of Science in biology from St. Louis University, focusing on field biology. She later completed graduate coursework in higher education and participated in a University of Arkansas program designed to enhance student learning in Principles of Biology.

Ellen began her teaching career at Parkview High School in Little Rock before moving to Rogers High School, where she established the district’s first AP Biology course. She was named Rogers High School Teacher of the Year in 1989 and received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 1994.

Her interest in outdoor science education led her to help design the Arkansas Enrichment for the Gifted in Summer program, offering field-based science experiences for high school students. She also served on the founding board of the Ozark Natural Science Center and later as its education director.

After relocating to Connecticut, Ellen became education program manager at Bent of the River Audubon Center. Upon returning to Arkansas in 2007, she joined NorthWest Arkansas Community College, where she taught Principles of Biology, served as course coordinator and developed lab kits for online classes. She was named Outstanding Faculty in 2016.

Ellen has served three nine-year terms on the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, including one as chair. In 2019, she and her husband, Tom McClure, helped expand the Searles Prairie Natural Area in Rogers. In 2025, Ellen received the Harold Alexander Conservation Lifetime Achievement Award, the Arkansas Wildlife Federation’s highest honor.

She currently serves on the Foundation for Heritage and History under the Arkansas Department of Heritage and teaches annually for the Northwest Arkansas Master Naturalists. Ellen and Tom have four children and ten grandchildren living across the United States and Europe.

Legacy Award Recipient: Whitey Smith

Whitey Smith was a cornerstone of the Rogers community whose dedication to Rogers Public Schools and decades of service left a lasting legacy.

Born in Spur, Texas, Whitey moved to Rogers with his family as a child. A 1956 graduate of Rogers High School, he was named Most Valuable Player of the 1955 Mountie football team and became the first RHS athlete selected to play in the Arkansas High School All-Star Game. He was inducted into the Mountie Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.

After graduation, Whitey began volunteering at Mountie athletic events — a commitment that continued for more than 50 years. His greatest impact came through Whitey’s Chicken Cook fundraisers, which raised an estimated $1 million for local sports teams, scout troops and community organizations. For Whitey, these events were about more than fundraising — they were lessons in teamwork, gratitude and service, values he believed defined the spirit of Rogers.

Outside of volunteering, Whitey owned and operated Ozark Fence Company, a business built on integrity and hard work.

In 2013, the Rogers High School football stadium was named in his honor — a fitting tribute to a man whose generosity and community spirit continue to inspire generations.

Whitey is survived by his wife, Janice; daughter, Becky Mencl; son, Tim Smith; and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren — all proud to call Rogers home.