Students at Mountain View Elementary School in Stone County, Arkansas, received a special surprise when Hollywood actress Jennifer Garner visited their school, bringing excitement, laughter and an unforgettable experience to classrooms in the Ozarks.
Garner, known for her roles in television and movies, visited the school as part of her involvement with Save the Children, an organization dedicated to improving educational opportunities and supporting children and families.
The actress spent time with kindergarten students, participated in a classroom reading lesson, read a book to a 3rd-grade class and interacted with students and teachers throughout the school.
Mountain View Elementary School Principal Carrie Futrell spoke with Greg Geary with ArkansasRadio.com news about the special visit and explained how the opportunity came about.
“We participate in Save the Children program here at Mountain View Elementary, and she is a big donor for the program,” Futrell explained.
“So they just called us up and asked us if she could come and visit our school and see what we had going on here.”
Futrell said Garner was actively involved in the educational activities during her visit.
“She did a lesson with some of our kindergarteners, with one of our Save the Children teachers, Tanya Ankeny. And then she went into our library and did read a book to a third-grade class.”
The classroom activities also provided some entertaining moments.
In video shared from the visit, Garner can be heard participating in a reading activity with young students.
“Gus is a fish!” Garner exclaimed.
The children quickly responded, “No!”
Garner tried again.
“Gus is a turtle!”
Once again, the children shouted, “No!”
The playful exchange brought laughter as Garner continued working through the reading activity with the students.
At one point, Garner jokingly admitted she had gotten a little carried away.
“Thank you so much. I got a little overexcited. I didn’t pay attention to my word bank,” Garner said.
The video captures the actress laughing, interacting with children and participating in activities designed to make learning enjoyable.
Futrell said the experience was exciting for the students.
“Absolutely. They were very excited about it,” she said when asked about their reaction.
Some teachers also had an opportunity to meet the Hollywood actress.
Futrell said Garner was approachable and interacted with students and school employees throughout the visit.
“She was very interactive with our students in the hallway. And if she met a teacher, she spoke to them, got to meet them. Some of them took pictures with her.”
Garner later shared her appreciation for the children and the experience in a Facebook post.
“Thank you to the brilliant kids of Save the Children US’s Stone County, Arkansas program for helping me brush up my reading skills.”
She also noted that Save the Children has served children in rural Arkansas since 2003.
“I loved meeting you guys, thank you for having me!” Garner wrote.
The visit also brought attention to the work Save the Children continues to do in rural Arkansas communities.
The organization supports early childhood education, reading skills, educational resources and programs that help children build a foundation for academic success.
Save the Children works with schools and communities across Arkansas, including Stone County, to help children develop literacy and other important learning skills.
Garner has been a longtime advocate for the organization’s mission, using her public platform to encourage reading, early childhood education and opportunities for children in underserved communities.
For Mountain View Elementary School, the visit was more than an opportunity to meet a celebrity.
It was a chance for students to experience reading and learning with someone who has spent years advocating for children and education.
And according to Principal Carrie Futrell, the children thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
The special visit will likely remain a memorable moment for the students, teachers and families of Mountain View, Arkansas.
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