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For Jeff Newton, being a hometown hero is not about one accomplishment or a single title. It is about showing up, getting involved and helping create opportunities for the community he has always called home.
A long time Monticello resident, Newton graduated from Monticello High School in 2000 before attending the University of Arkansas at Monticello, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in computer information systems in 2004.
Although technology has become an important part of Newton’s career, it was not always the path he envisioned.
“I initially was a forestry major in college, but computers interested me, and I’m a people person,” Newton said.
After graduating from UAM, Newton began his career as the technology coordinator for the Hermitage School District. He later returned to UAM, where he worked as assistant IT director in the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Newton briefly left UAM to work for EFS GeoTechnologies as a drone specialist before returning to the university, where he continues to serve as assistant IT director.
“I love this job,” Newton said. “I like making processes easier for people in this building and the new Forest Resources building.”
While Newton has found professional fulfillment in helping others through his work, some of his greatest rewards have come from the people he has met along the way.
“The most rewarding part has been meeting all of the new friends over the years that I normally would not have met,” he said.
Newton’s commitment to serving others extends well beyond his career.
He is involved in numerous organizations and community projects, including the Monticello Sports Committee, Monticello Youth Sports Baseball, SEARK Concert Association, Monticello Marlins, Monticello Parks Committee, South Arkansas Flow Mountain Bike Team, Trail Organization of the Arkansas Delta and Lakewoods Trails, which he helped found.
For Newton, community involvement is rooted in a simple belief.
“I believe in Monticello,” he said. “It is a great place to grow and raise a family. I want to be influential for my kids and other kids.”
That philosophy was instilled in him by his parents.
“They taught me right and wrong and to respect everybody,” Newton said. “I had a good upbringing.”
Newton now strives to pass those same lessons on to his own children while helping make his community a place where young people can discover their interests and find opportunities to grow.
One project particularly close to his heart is the South Arkansas Flow Mountain Bike Team. Newton saw a need for an opportunity that was not available locally.
“There was not one available in our area,” he said. “Not every kid is into baseball, football or soccer. I wanted to be able to provide this access for our youth.”
Newton said the bike team has been especially rewarding because it gives young people another opportunity to participate, build friendships and develop a love for the sport.
His involvement in local parks has also helped turn that vision into something tangible. After becoming interested in mountain biking in the area, Newton approached the parks committee with his idea. Through grant funding and community efforts, Lake Monticello now has an approximately $1 million park development for residents and visitors to enjoy.
“Phase 2 of Lakewoods Trails is now complete, and we are trying hard to get the National Interscholastic Cycling Association to host an event here,” Newton said.
Baseball is another important part of Newton’s community service. As president of Monticello Youth Sports Baseball, he wants children to have an opportunity to learn the game, develop their skills and, perhaps most importantly, enjoy playing together.
Seeing children out on the field with their friends, he said, is what it is all about.
Newton has also found an unexpected avenue for community involvement through the arts.
A member of the SEARK Concert Association, Newton has participated in seven productions and is preparing for his eighth. What began when his youngest son was hesitant to audition alone eventually became a family experience.
His involvement has given him an appreciation for the value of exposing children to the performing arts and giving them opportunities to experience acting.
“It gives kids the opportunity to experience the art of acting,” Newton said.
Photography is another interest Newton discovered somewhat unexpectedly. He initially began taking landscape photographs with a friend, but his hobby soon led others to ask him to photograph their children and families. Today, he continues to work as a local photographer.
Away from his professional and community commitments, Newton enjoys fishing, hunting, riding bikes and just about any sport that takes place on the water.
Despite all of the organizations, projects and accomplishments that have filled his years of service, Newton does not point to a professional achievement or community project when asked about his greatest accomplishment.
Instead, he points to his family.
“My kids, Cade who is 18 and Brooks who is 11,” Newton said. “They are great boys and both have really kind hearts.”
For Newton, being a father is the responsibility that matters most.
“All I can hope for is that Sarah and I set a good example and show them how to live for the Lord and to be the light,” he said.
Newton encourages anyone who wants to become involved in the community but is unsure where to begin to simply take the first step.
“You have to plug in,” he said. “Find something you are interested in, and the community is open to listen. Go to a meeting and mention the change you would like to see.”
Newton’s own experience demonstrates what can happen when someone is willing to do exactly that.
An interest in mountain biking led to a conversation with the parks committee, which helped create new recreational opportunities for the community. His desire to provide alternatives for young people has led to his involvement in baseball and cycling. His family’s willingness to step outside its comfort zone opened the door to the performing arts.
For Newton, service is not about seeking recognition. It is about seeing a need and asking what can be done to make things better.
And the place he continues to serve is one he deeply values.
“Drew County provides access to a lot of different recreational and nature opportunities,” Newton said. “There are plenty of things to explore. There are good people here willing to help.”
For a man who has spent most of his life in Monticello, Newton’s vision for his hometown is both personal and forward-looking: a community where children have opportunities to explore, families have places to gather, and people are willing to step forward and help.
His greatest hope is that his children — and the generations that follow — will carry that same spirit with them.
