Hope Public Schools

Glenda Denise Alderson Clark

She attended elementary, junior high and high school in El Dorado, AR graduating from El Dorado High in 1969, attended Henderson State College graduating and receiving a BA degree in Psychology in 1973 and attended graduate school at Western Michigan University on a Thurgood Marshall fellowship graduating

and receiving my MA degree in Psychology in 1975. She began her public education career in El Dorado, ending in Hope with a total of 40 years. She has always loved Math and returned to school to get my BSE degree.

In 1986 she married her husband and friend Abraham Clark. They have one beautiful daughter, Grace Nicole Alderson Clark.

While teaching, she enjoyed all levels of Math from 6 th grade to Algebra II. During her time at Yerger she worked with Math Counts having students compete and place at the chapter, state and national level.

Her most accomplished Math Counts participant was Michelle Griffin, who won 1st place individual at state as well as our team winning 1st place enabling them to go to Washington DC to compete on the national level.

Upon moving to the High School she taught Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II. The Math love of her life is Algebra and that started with her Algebra I teacher Mrs. Canal Benton Williams.

Along her journey in public education , she was privileged to serve as President and treasurer of the Hope Education Association, became teacher of the year and educator of the year in 2008. The final 6 years of her tenure, she served as an Instructional Facilitator for Math and Science. She really enjoyed her years of interacting with and teaching students. They have provided many fond memories.

Currently she is serving as the President of the Hempstead County Retired Teachers and Area IV Director for ARTA. She enjoys attending and serving at the Garrett Chapel Missionary Baptist Church.

In conclusion: Remembering the many words of wisdom from her parents: Treat everyone with respect, from the janitor to the superintendent, because if your room isn’t cleaned you can’t have a great day.

Robert Hesse, current business manager for Marching365, which is a company that helps bands get what they need for marching productions including drill design, props, costumes, choreography and numerous other innovative concepts. His most recent teaching job was Director of Bands for the University of Arkansas at Monticello. He also served as Director of Athletic Bands at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas for eleven years. During his thirty-seven years of teaching, he taught in the public schools of Hope, Springdale, Marion and Arkadelphia, Arkansas. During his career, his bands became nationally recognized for their excellence. Mr. Hesse is in great demand as an adjudicator, clinician and drill designer throughout the United States. He was on the staff of Bowl Games of America for 34 years and was part of the production staff for National Championship Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl pregame and halftime festivities. Mr. Hesse has also served throughout the United States and Canada as an adjudicator and clinician for World Strides Heritage Festivals of Salt Lake City, Utah. Mr. Hesse additionally is a freelance drill designer who serves as part of the program team for numerous bands across the country. Mr. Hesse was honored as “One of the Top 50 Band Directors in America Who Make A Difference” by School Band and Orchestra Magazine. Mr. Hesse has hosted numerous ASBOA Region Events and was the Co-founder of the "Championships at the Rock" contests held for many years at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Recently, Mr. Hesse has served as chief judge with numerous other marching contests throughout the state including the Arkansas Marching Arts Association Indoor Circuit for the last three seasons.

During his fifteen years as band director at Hope High School, the Hope Superband became one of the prominent performing bands in Arkansas. The Hope Band won numerous Grand Championships throughout the south. The band's goal of being the most entertaining band in Arkansas was evident by the number of invitations to perform. The Hope Bands played for presidential rallies, parades, Governor’s Inaugurations, Presidential Inauguration parades, special events, Fourth of July events, groundbreakings, interstate openings, and even water treatment plant openings. The Hope Superband was the Grand Champion of the coveted Central Arkansas Marching Championship Governor’s Cup nine out of eleven years and finished second twice and fifth once in the 13 years they appeared there.

However, the best thing the Hope Bands did was to offer the great students of Hope the opportunity to be part of a group that represented the State of Arkansas, the Great City of Hope, and the Fantastic Public Schools of Hope. These students’ work ethic made coming to work at Hope every day a very enjoyable experience. The success of the Hope Bands was the combined work of the students, their parents, the Band Boosters and the unbelievable support of the school district and the community. They represented you all every time they went out to perform, but most importantly, they represented themselves. All the directors who worked here were outstanding and basically all we had to do was point the way.

Mr. Hesse has been a member of the Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association where he served as Vice-President, Arkansas Bandmasters Association where he serves as a past president, Phi Beta Mu, Phi Mu Alpha, American School Band Directors Association where he served as President of the Arkansas Chapter, Arkansas Music Educators Association, CBDNA and the Four States' Bandmasters Association where he is a three time past president. He is an honorary member of Tau Beta Sigma and served as the OBU and UAM Campus sponsor of Kappa Kappa Psi. Most recently, Mr. Hesse has been elected as a member of the Society of Pi Kappa Lamda and was inducted as an honorary member of the Zeta Zeta Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi at UAM. Mr. Hesse was presented the Phi Beta Mu Omicron Chapter Outstanding Contributor Award in 2018 and was inducted into the Four States Bandmasters Association Hall of Fame in 2019. Mr. Hesse is married to Traci Hesse, Retired Director of Bands at Heber Springs High School and they live happily on the mountain just south of Heber Springs!

William Darryl Muldrew

Mr. William Darryl Muldrew better known as “Mr. Drew” to many, was born and raised in Hope, Arkansas to the proud parents of William E. Muldrew and Velma Davis Muldrew. He is currently married to LeAnita Muldrew, and are the proud parents of Dr. LaKeicha and Rickey Cottrell, and Dr. Edwin Keon and Cherri Muldrew. Mr and Mrs. Muldrew have three precious grandchildren Ethan, Evan, and Remi. Mr. Muldrew is a faithful member of Bethel A.M.E. Church in Hope, Arkansas where he holds many offices and positions.

Mr. Muldrew is a graduate of Hope High School, Class of 1972. Upon graduation he attended Henderson State University earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology, after which he attended Ouachita Baptist University earning his Master’s degree in History. His first role within education was at the Arkansas School for the Deaf in Little Rock, Arkansas where he served as the Home Life Counselor for male students. After his stay in Little Rock, Mr. Muldrew returned to his hometown where he taught history at Yerger Middle School, teaching 7th and 8th grades. In 1990, Mr. Muldrew was promoted to Director and Head Instructor for the Alternative Learning Education Program where he remained until he retired. He retired from the Hope Public School District after teaching for 37 years. After retirement, Mr. Muldrew shifted his talents to the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope as a GED/CCAP instructor.

In 2011 Mr. Muldrew was awarded the Outstanding Educator Award by Providence Full Gospel Missionary Baptist Church. Then in 2017, Mr. Muldrew accepted UACCH’s invitation to join the First Living Legacy, Black History Wall before retiring from higher education in 2020. Mr. Muldrew's legacy as a mentor is a testament to the profound impact one individual can have on a community. His guidance and wisdom touched the lives of countless students and faculty, fostering an environment of growth and learning. The ripple effect of his mentorship extends beyond the classroom, shaping the future paths of those he mentored. Mr. Muldrew's dedication to education and personal development will be remembered and cherished by all who had the privilege to know and work beside him.

Alma Soils Phillips

Alma Soils Phillips was born in the Boyd Hill community in Lafayette County, and is the sixth of ten children. Her parents instilled the importance of hard work and education into her and her siblings. She became the first in her family to graduate from high school and college. She has one daughter and one grandson. She also has two sisters and two brothers.

She currently serves as a Sunday school teacher, choir member, and church secretary at Rising Star Baptist Church.

She graduated from Southern State College in Magnolia, and began her teaching career with the Hope Public Schools district in August of 1976 as an English teacher for the high school. She served in this capacity until August of 1986 when she became the first African American Library Media Specialist in the Hope Public Schools district.

In June of 2017, Ms. Phillips concluded her forty-one year teaching career where it all started- with the Hope Public Schools district. She once said that she had known since the fourth grade that she wanted to be a teacher.

Billie Pal Cox Whitmarsh

Billie Pal Cox Whitmarsh began her education career at age five when she entered 1st grade in Prescott, AR. After graduating from Prescott High School in 1949, she earned a BSE and MSE from Henderson State Teacher College. In 1951, Billie Pal married her high school sweetheart, Bobby Whitmarsh and began her professional teaching career that fall at Prescott Elementary School. She taught 1st and 2nd grades for 12 years.

In 1963, Superintendent James H. Jones (Hope) hired Mrs. Whitmarsh to become the Principal of the new elementary school that would be built over the next four years. She began her Hope career at Paisley, teaching 6th grade for 2 years, then 2nd grade at Brookwood for 1 year and 3rd grade at Garland for 1 year while the new elementary school was being completed. Beryl Henry Elementary School officially opened its doors in 1967 with 6 classrooms, an office/library and cafeteria with a staff of 10. Over the next 23 years under Mrs. Whitmarsh’s leadership, BHE grew to a campus of 28 classrooms, teachers and staff of over 51 and more than 750 students.

Mrs. Whitmarsh was the ultimate model of professionalism, integrity, respect, fairness and discipline. She was always consistent in her treatment of teachers, students, parents and staff. It is beyond measure as to the number of staff, teachers and students that she influenced to further their education in the education field.

In 1988, Billie Pal Whitmarsh was named Hempstead County Teacher of the Year. She was a 25 year plus member of Alpha Delta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma – Key Women Educators. She also continued her love for teaching and children at First Baptist Church where she taught 4-year-old Sunday School Classes for over 25 years.

Mrs. Whitmarsh’s professional career spanned 38 years of continual devotion to a life she loved – Education. To sun up Mrs. Whitmarsh’s philosophy on educating students is the quote on the BHE front foyer wall. The quote is from Miss Beryl Henry, “A student is not a vessel to be filled, but a lamp to be lighted.”