🎓 Exclusive: Paths to success

It's Monday. Keep it mellow.

🌧️ Showers and possible t-storms early today with a high in the low 70s.

🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios NW Arkansas member Sam Hollis!

Today's newsletter is 789 words — a 3-minute read.

A program being piloted in 10 rural Arkansas high schools will help students navigate some of the pitfalls on the road to a living wage.

• Dedicated college and career advisers focused on guiding students through post-graduation options were hired through a public/private partnership to work alongside existing staff.

Why it matters: Guidance counselors, the people outside the home who're most likely to help a student make decisions about their future, are frequently overwhelmed.

• The student-to-counselor ratio in Arkansas was 347 to 1 during the 2022-23 school year. The U.S. recommendation is 285.

State of play: The initiative is spearheaded by Bentonville's Heartland Forward and the rootED Alliance, in collaboration with the Arkansas Department of Education.

• Advisers will work with students to define and plan their futures and help them attain a living wage after high school in a path that's right for the individual.
• Options could include a two- or four-year college, trade apprenticeships, vocational training or certifications, or military service.

Zoom in: Participating schools are in the northwest corner of the state — Charleston, Dover, Green Forest, Jasper, Kingston, Magazine, Mammoth Spring, Marshall, Oark and Ozark Mountain.

• The advisers have direct ties to each community. Some are retired teachers, some worked in school administration, and one is a small-business owner, Angie Cooper, EVP of Heartland Forward, told Axios.

By the numbers: Launched in 2018, the nonprofit rootED Alliance operates similar projects at 189 high schools in Missouri, Texas and Idaho.

• 82% of students involved in rootEd are on track for successful careers, compared with 41% of all rural working 21- to 24-year-olds, Noa Meyer, chair of the organization's board, told Axios.
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid completion increased by 27% and college enrollment by 10% in participating areas.

The organization is focused on rural schools; about 48% of Arkansas' schools are rural.

What we're watching: One year of data may not be enough, but over the course of the pilot, we should see whether the program makes changes.

• Cooper is hopeful rootED will eventually be rolled out statewide.

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Fun isn't just for the weekend. Here are a few ideas for this last full week of September.

🎭 See a play — Arkansas Public Theatre's "Tootsie" is on stage at The Medium in Springdale starting Thursday. Get tickets starting at $46.

• "Peter Pan" is at Walton Arts Center Tuesday through Sunday. Get tickets.

🎤 Go to a concert — Omar Apollo will perform Tuesday night at The Momentary. Get tickets starting at $25.

😎 Enjoy a festival — Live at Turnbow, a free festival including live music, is on Thursday in downtown Springdale.

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Welcome to Time Loop by Klip Collective — a nighttime light and sound experience exclusive to Crystal Bridges.

What to expect: Roam six outdoor installations that blend art, nature and technology to create a unique journey across time and space, set in the museum's North Forest.

Explore now.

🎸 The statue of Arkansas native Johnny Cash sculpted by Kevin Kresse of Little Rock will be unveiled at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

🥞 The Big Biscuit, a franchise breakfast and lunch restaurant that took over the long-vacant building that was formerly a Hardee's, is slated to open on Thursday. (Fayetteville Flyer)

🎃 The melonworm — a caterpillar that eats crops like pumpkins, squash and cucumbers — arrived in Arkansas about a month early this year. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

I am thrilled friends demanded I try Vira's Indian Kitchen.

🇮🇳 State of play: Most of the Indian restaurants in NWA focus on northern Indian cuisine. But Vira's highlights southern Indian food, which means you'll see different spice blends, more seafood and plenty of coconut on its menu compared to other options.

🍛 What to try: If you, like me, have been missing out on dosas, then you, like me, should get your act together and try one. It's a crepe, which you stuff with a filling like spiced potatoes. I went with a paneer (a traditional soft cheese) tikka dosa ($16) and it made for an awesome appetizer. It comes with five different sauces so you can play with the flavor combos.

• If you like a rice dish, try a biryani with your preferred protein. You'll also find cashews and raisins in the dish. I ordered the chicken ($18). The flavors were spot on and the chicken fell apart.

🔥 Threat level: I ordered medium spice with the biryani and could have gone hotter, so don't be afraid to order spicy if you have a decent threshold.

🌶 The intrigue: Vira's has an array of vegetarian options, so if you or your fellow diners want a meatless meal, put it on your list. Unless you hate good food.

• 🌙 You night owls should also keep it in mind for late night takeout because it's open until midnight most nights.

📍 Stop by: 11am-9pm Sunday, 11am-9:30pm Monday and Tuesday, 11am to midnight Wednesday through Saturday at 3404 SE Macy Rd., Ste. 16, in Bentonville

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Fall is prime for fun outdoor experiences — like seeing your favorite award-winning artists live on the Momentary's Momentary Green.

Next steps: See recent decades' most impactful musical acts, including…

• Omar Apollo on Sept. 24.
• Kaskade on Sept. 27.
• Thee Sacred Souls on Oct. 27.

Here's the lineup.

Thanks to Fadel Allassan for editing this newsletter.

🎁 Alex already bought the first Christmas present of the season.

🗺️ Worth is trying to find Ozark Mountain (not Ozark, not Oark and not Ozark Mountains) on a map.