(Editor’s Note: Each year, Arkansas Business partners with the Arkansas Municipal League to present the Trendsetter City awards, which recognize exceptional initiatives underway in municipalities across the state. Large, medium and small-sized cities were honored in six categories: Diversity and Inclusion; Education/Workforce Development; Infrastructure and Water; Public Works/Environmental and Green Management; Technology and Security; and Tourism Development/Creative Culture. Below is one winner’s story. For more, click here.)
Education/Workforce Development
Winner • Over 20,000
Population: 89,142
Mayor: George McGill
County: Sebastian
Region: Northwest
The Challenge
When Fort Smith discovered that a 2017 study identified four key areas of need in the city, it began brainstorming. With major industries like advanced manufacturing, information technology, health services and skilled trades in need of a boost, something had to be done to ensure these industries found success in Fort Smith for many years to come.
Over $20 million was invested in the creation of PEAK.
The Solution
To bring success to its students — and, in turn, the city — Fort Smith created the PEAK Innovation Center. PEAK is a multimillion-dollar educational facility designed specifically for career-focused programming, delivering hands-on, cutting-edge, technical and career training to high school students in 22 school districts throughout the River Valley Region. The program coursework transfers to the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith through concurrent credits and has the capacity to educate and train up to 500 students annually.
Attention Grabber
Since opening in 2022, over 8,000 visitors from as far away as Spokane, WA have toured PEAK to learn more about the partnerships and collaborations that led to the center’s opening.
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