Swarm Summit at Wynne Junior High School: Bridging Students and Careers

To kick off the 2025-2026 school year, Wynne Junior High School hosted its second annual Swarm Summit. This event brought community members to campus to discuss their careers with students, fostering early career exploration.

The second annual Swarm Summit at Wynne Junior High School introduced students to a variety of careers, including a live alligator. (Photo courtesy of Wynne Junior High School.)

Principal Joshua Wingo emphasized that connecting students to prospective careers is a shared mission across all schools in the district. He explained, "It’s the one thing that ties us all together. Primary schools do career days and dress-up days, intermediate schools have SPARC Clubs, and we have the Swarm Summit to introduce various opportunities, leading to high school where colleges and businesses engage with students. This provides a continuous career exposure from kindergarten through senior high."

Additionally, this school year marks the implementation of the statewide "Bell to Bell, No Cell" law, which restricts phone use during school hours. Wynne Junior High had already piloted this program last year, so students are familiar with it. Wingo noted that while the law prohibits phones and Bluetooth devices, exceptions will be made for emergencies, such as allowing students to call home from the office or counselor's room, and for field trips where parents can monitor safety via apps like Live360. The school also plans to let students use phones to document field trips with photos.