Sanford I. Tollette IV

Few people have impacted the lives of as many young Arkansans and received as little recognition for it as Sanford Tollette.

And few have Tollette’s passion and ability to reach at-risk students, talents he feels are God-given.

In the 30 years that he has been at Joseph Pfeifer Kiwanis Camp, 24 of them as executive director, Tollette has seen hundreds of children turned around to become successful.

While the camp originally offered just a summer camp program for underprivileged youth, Tollette began in 1988 to expand into year-round Alternative Classroom Experience. It has become a model program, bringing national and international recognition to the program and to Tollette, though locally the camp has never received much attention. Because of Tollette’s reputation among his peers, the Association for Experiential Education will hold its international conference in Little Rock in November.

Turning kids around still isn’t an easy task, but the many successful changes by students in behavior and attitudes under his care have convinced parents, counselors and school administrators that the structured discipline that he carries out does work.

The biggest challenge is the fight to find enough money to keep the camp open. Although owned by the Downtown Kiwanis Club, which raises funds each year, the camp also must get grants, foundation aid and money from AmeriCorps to carry out the programs it has put in place. Tollette operates the camp with no debt.

Tollette’s parents and his wife have been big influences in his life, but he sees W.C. “Buddy” Coleman, the retired CEO of Coleman Dairy, as his role model for honesty, generosity and ability to get things done.

Tollette said he’s committed to the camp for life. “I’m proud of the camp and that it has made a difference in the lives of so many.”