Get your vocal cords ready because auditions are now being accepted for the annual a cappella festival at the Walton Arts Center. 

• “Casting call:” The festival is called VoiceJam and will take place on April 9. Before the big day, video auditions are being accepted through Jan. 31 from any a cappella group of 3 to 20 performers. 
• Think Pitch Perfect: VoiceJam is a competition where top high school, collegiate, and community groups from around the country will perform “sick beats, dynamic choreography and mind-blowing harmonies.” And after a day of fine-tuning with the masters, the a cappella groups will battle it out on stage.

For more information about VoiceJam, click HERE. 

Two Northwest Arkansas schools were named state winners in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest. 

• Change makers: Schools from all over the country competed in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) competition where Samsung asked students to utilize STEM skills to “create change in their communities” for a chance to win cash prizes as well as a chance to develop prototypes for their proposals for change.
• Students: Helen Tyson Middle School and Fayetteville High School were both winners and will receive $6,500 each. The winning schools will record a video to showcase their projects for a chance to advance to the next phases of the contest. 

Read the full story HERE. 

A Bentonville-based non-profit was represented on the shoes of a National Football League (NFL) player on Sunday. 

• Represent: Ryan Tannehill, quarterback for the Tennessee Titans, is one of several NFL players participating in My Cause, My Cleats. For a week, players wear customized cleats to honor causes of their choice, raising money by fan support. Tannehill chose Lifewater International. 
• Resources: Lifewater is a religious, missional organization with a goal to end the global water and sanitation crisis, which affects over 800 million people worldwide. Lifewater has helped over 35k families create healthy homes via clean water and sanitation education. You can contribute to the effort by donating on its website.

Learn more about Lifewater HERE.

Christmas activities and shows are happening left and right, and we can’t get enough. 

• Contemporary: Arkansas native and University of Arkansas alumnus, Rob Sutton, created an original Christmas show and is performing it at TheatreSquared starting on Dec. 14. The show is called The Heart of Christmas: Songs and Stories of the Season and is a nostalgic look at past seasons as well as a celebration of resilience and hope. Tickets are $41.
• Classic: Starting tomorrow, TheatreSquared cast and crew will also be putting on A Christmas Carol at the Fayetteville Public Library. In-person and streaming tickets are available starting at $20.

For more information and tickets click HERE and HERE. 

Longstanding University of Arkansas professor, Larry Foley, was awarded his eighth Emmy and his first as a director for his role in creating the documentary Indians, Outlaws, Marshals and the Hangin' Judge.

• The backstory: Fort Smith was a gateway to the Wild West, and "Hangin' Judge" Parker was the U.S. District Judge responsible for enforcing the law in the region. His moniker is derived from his use of capital punishment.
• The film: Based on a sickbed interview of by St. Louis Republic reporter Ada Patterson, Foley, also the writer and producer, brought these words to life by creating a narrative and documentary that tells a story but remains true to the original interview's words.

Read more about the documentary and award here.