Southeast Arkansas Early Childhood Association (SEAECA)
President: Elaine Hargraves
hargravese@uamont.edu
Please get in touch via this email if you have any questions: SEARaeca@gmail.com
If you would like to join SEAECA, please follow the information in this flyer.
Meetings
Meeting Minutes
Meet the Board
Elaine Hargraves
President
Elaine attended University of Arkansas at Monticello, College of Technology-McGehee (Great Rivers Vocational Technical School), where she received a Child Development Certificate (Child Development Associate). She continued her education at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) where she completed the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with an Early Childhood Endorsement. In 2007, she completed her Master of Education with dual concentration in Special Education and Early Childhood Education. Thirty-one years ago, her teaching career began at the Wolfe-Kelly Day Care Center, where she was Assistant Director/Lead Teacher. While at Wolfe-Kelly, she wrote a grant that helped to start the Arkansas Better Chance Program (ABC), making Wolfe-Kelly one of the first Child Care facilities to receive this grant in 1991. After an unfortunate fire at Wolfe-Kelly in 2004, she began teaching in the Dumas Public School District, where she was a Kindergarten and Preschool Teacher, until June 2014. In 2006, she also became a Facilitator/Trainer for the U of A-Early Care and Education Projects in Fayetteville. In 2008, she became an Adjunct Early Childhood Instructor at the UAMCTM and eventually the Department Chair of the Early Childhood Department. On October 1, 2018, she was appointed Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor and on January 1, 2019, she was named the Assistant Vice Chancellor at UAMCTM.
Kim Burgess
Secretary/Treasurer
Kim attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Education with an endorsement in Early Childhood Education in 1997. She continued her studies at UAM in her graduate work towards a master’s degree in early childhood special education. Kim began her teaching career at Lakeside Elementary School in Lake Village, Arkansas as a Kindergarten teacher in the fall of 1997. After a few years in the classroom and a desire to impact the education of even more children, Kim became an educational consultant with JP Associates in Valley Stream, NY. She traveled to multiple cities and states for 18 years providing effective teaching techniques to educators in the classroom. She joined the University of Arkansas at Monticello – College of Technology – McGehee faculty in January 2023 as the Early Childhood Education instructor. She has a passion for children and believes every child deserves the best education and experiences possible!
Kim Lattimore
Social Media Coordinator
My name is Kimberly Lattimore and I live in Monticello, Arkansas. I have been married to my wonderful husband for 20 years and we have 2 children and 1 granddaughter. I am a 2015 graduate of University Monticello of Arkansas with an associate degree and received my Arkansas Birth Through Prekindergarten Teaching Credential. I enjoy many outdoor activities such as fishing, gardening, riding bikes, and grilling. I am also a creative person. I love to make desserts and decorate our center monthly. I have been working in early childcare for 22 years and have been with Discovery Children’s Center for 17 years. I am currently the Special Education Assistant for the 3-5 program. I genuinely enjoy being with children. I love to see them discovering their unique personalities and desire for fun. Throughout my experience I learned so much about myself, and about what to do with my life, which is to collaborate with people. For the last 17 years I have had the pleasure of working for this outstanding company Discovery Children’s Center, where I am able to work with many families and great staff.
Faith Hurd
Founding Member
Faith Hurd is currently the Department Chair for Early Childhood (EC) Education at the University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology McGehee. She has been involved in education for 10+ years now. Faith does professional development training for ECEP and UAFS and advises on several committees. Her great passion is bringing encouragement, and information to professionals and students within the EC field. She believes in advocating for children, families, and the EC community. Being a part of the Southeast, Arkansas AECA (SE AECA) affiliation Faith plans to work with the Southeast area in providing material, professional development, and by being a resource through which connections are built throughout Arkansas with all EC professionals and organizations.
Emily Groves
Founding Member
My name is Emily Groves, I am a wife and mother of 3 boys who loves working with and teaching about children. I am currently employed by The University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology McGehee as an Instructor of Early Childhood Education. I love my job because I get to teach future teachers best practices and prepare them for what’s to come in the classroom. I look forward to having a local AECA chapter and being involved in advocating for children!
Gaynell Jamison
Founding Member
Gaynell R. Jamison, is an Early Childhood Trainer, Reading Specialist and Children’s Author. She has 40+ years of experience in education. She has done extensive study in the field of literacy with over 20 years of experience, teaching reading and administering reading programs in Southeast Arkansas. She has presented at conferences and workshops on the local, state, and national level. Most recently, she has conducted several virtual early childhood trainings for early childhood staff and administrators statewide.
Lora Medina
Founding Member
I have been in ECE for 34+ years. I began as a Public-School Kindergarten teacher in the school district where I had gone as an elementary student. Later I moved to another school district as a Kindergarten Teacher. When the district decided to start a preschool program, the principal asked me to start the program with 2 preschool classrooms and about 30 children. I was the director and one of the classroom teachers. Next, I was recruited by Rivers Technical Institute to be the new ECE instructor. I left UAM in 2015 and went to C. B. King Memorial School to be their Director of Programs working in the Early Intervention Day Treatment Centers serving infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with developmental delays, and in the Adult Day Treatment program with adults with developmental disabilities as well as training and mentoring the teachers and directors. Currently I am also an ECEP trainer for University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and I occasionally adjunct for Ms. Hurd at UAM CTM. I have one daughter, Victoria. I have a dog named Leo and Victoria has a dog named Fritz.
Elizabeth Coakley
Founding Member
Hello, my name is Elizabeth Coakley and I have worked in the field of Early Childhood for twenty-eight years. I have two amazing children and one granddaughter. I received my master’s degree in Early Childhood Education in 2015. In the field of Early Childhood, I have held numerous positions…. for example, Lead Teacher in a Head Start preschool classroom, Toddler Lead Teacher, Program Coordinator, Assistant Director, Director, Adjunct Instructor, Trainer, and my current role as Better Beginnings Coordinator. Early Childhood has given me such enjoyment in my different roles, and I am honored to be a part of the Southeast Arkansas Early Childhood Association.
Cortez Smith
Founding Member
My name is Cortez C. Smith a native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas who completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff with a degree in the in Human Development Family Studies in the Spring of 2009. After successfully earning my bachelor’s degree, one was accepted into the graduate program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in the College of Education/ Higher Education with Specialization Student Affairs Administration. Having completed this program in the Fall of 2012. Recently in the Fall of 2021, I was accepted into the doctoral program at the Southern Arkansas University majoring in Rural and Diverse Educational Leadership/ Higher Education Administration Community Development. After working as the Project Coordinator at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff for many years one was given the opportunity to join the staff of the University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology at McGehee as the Program Director for Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative, this chance has presented one many opportunities to advance within the areas of Higher Education. Such as, interim Director for Student Services/Dean of Students. Also, being placed on several university committees.