Highway Cleanup: Positive Change One Act of Service at a Time

The Smart Justice District Court Initiative, EA Recovery, EA Church Engagement, CityServe, and North Little Rock District Court staff linked arms for a Keep Arkansas Beautiful Highway Cleanup, but the heart of the effort was transformation. Probationers didn’t just show up to pick up trash — they showed up to move forward.

Walking side-by-side with volunteers from EA Recovery and local faith partners, they put on safety vests, grabbed trash bags, and got to work.

Thanks to the Smart Justice District Court Initiative, participants also earned double community service hours, a practical boost that helps reduce court fines and fees. Community service became more than a requirement — it became an opportunity to rewrite the story.

“This is what transformation looks like,” said Court Coordinator Julius Buie. “People coming together, serving their community, and moving forward with purpose.”

For ninety focused minutes, the group cleaned the stretch of highway right outside the courthouse — the very place that marks both consequences and fresh starts. Working together created conversations, built confidence, and sparked pride in a safer, cleaner neighborhood.

Partnerships like these prove what’s possible when courts, recovery organizations, and faith-based teams invest in real second chances. The Smart Justice District Court Initiative continues to bridge accountability with opportunity.