With the Olympic Games less than two months away, Sandi Morris, former Razorback pole vaulter, reflects on a year of training and preparation for the Tokyo Games.

• Keeping the pace: Since Morris couldn't use the Razorback track & field facility after the pandemic started, she and her dad built a pole vault pit in her parents' backyard. This creative solution served its purpose well, as she continued to soar over the competition.
• Fast approaching: The Tokyo games are buzzing with controversy, but Morris is trying to stay positive, focusing on the competition ahead. Morris is just one of many Olympic hopefuls with Arkansas ties.

You can read more about Sandi Morris and her year of preparation for the Tokyo Olympics HERE.

The U.S. education system is at a crossroads after a hard year during the pandemic. Bentonville based venture fund, A-Street Ventures, sees this moment as an opportunity to spark transformation in the education system.

• A new dawn: A-Street Ventures is working to bring equity and opportunity where there are disparities in the education system. With a $200M fund, the organization is focused on finding and scaling innovative learning solutions to help children, families, and schools.
• Sharing with the class: Through its investment in projects that align with its mission, A-Street Ventures is hoping to combat the statistics that indicate significant learning loss in the U.S.
• Quote: "As A-Street navigates forward, we’ll stay centered on what’s at stake: a quality education for every student in America as a promise we must keep in order to unlock our collective promise."

Find out more about how this organization is transforming classrooms and communities HERE.

The good news: more people in NWA are getting active and riding their bikes around town. The bad news: bikes and vehicles don't always get along.

• Paving the way: Arkansas Good Roads Foundation hosted the Safe Roads Summit in Bentonville last month, where local companies came together to discuss how infrastructure in NWA could better protect and encourage cycling in the area.
• What's to come: The Arkansas 112 corridor project is a Complete Streets project that could create an 18-mile off-street side path. Walmart is jumping in as well by encouraging employees who live within five miles to bike to work.

Find out more about the Complete Streets initiative and what's in store for the area HERE.

We are exactly 100 days away from the culinary experience you've been craving. And this year, #BITENWA and the #NWAChampionship have blended together to create a new, unique event.

• The BITE Experience: The best food, beverages, restaurants, chefs, ingredients and brands Northwest Arkansas has to offer will be held in conjunction with the #NWAChampionship September 24-26 in Rogers at the Pinnacle Country Club.
• Perfect mixture: Historically held at locations offsite in the NWA region, the event will transition to a daytime experience with access to tournament grounds and four #BITENWA viewing decks with food and beverage samples from a variety of local restaurants.

Tickets go on sale TODAY and proceeds from the event will benefit the NWA Food Bank and Brightwater Culinary School.

The effects of the pandemic seem to be tapering off, but things are just getting started for the University of Arkansas. By Monday, the university is hoping to have all of its faculty and staff back to campus preparing for a full-capacity fall semester.

• Not quite normal: There are still regulations in place, but that won't stop the university from providing the full college experience to vaccinated students and staff.
• Fresh start: The university is especially excited to introduce incoming freshman and sophomores who missed out on their freshman experience to what a regular semester looks like.

You can find out more about how the University of Arkansas is preparing for the fall semester HERE.