It’s quite likely most people around the Booneville School District campuses wouldn’t recognize Jeff Terry any time he happens to be on it.
However, it's highly unlikely anyone on any campus would not recognize his work.
Terry works for Beacon Ink in Russellville, the company responsible for a growing number of banners around the district’s sports facilities.
Those include the new banners installed at Bearcat Gymnasium in time for the Class 3A Region 1 tournament hosted by the Bearcats and Lady Bearcats.
Beacon Ink also created the banner on the back of the pressbox at Bearcat Stadium as well as multiple locker room graphics.
The company also rewrapped the sign at the city owned Billy Kiersey Baseball/Softball Complex the Bearcat baseball and Lady Bearcat softball teams call home as well as creating the banners for previous state title winners.
Those are far from the only marks on the school.
Any number of kids show up in T-shirts created by Terry’s company every day. For example, last week multiple junior high students were given shirts as rewards for academic achievement.
There are countless shirts featuring the slogan “All For One” all athletes grades 7-12 were given at a summer athletic mixer event which were Beacon Ink created.
Many come without charge to the school district.
“Every so often I will get a box that labeled Beacon Ink that I didn't order,” said junior high principal/athletic director Josh Walker. “I’ll call Jeff and he says, ‘Hey I had some extra shirts made. Give those to some kids that need a shirt or do something good.’”
“When we have extra (shirts) I just print them up for Booneville and send them to be used for a reward thing,” said Terry. “My thought was if they catch a kid doing something good, give them a shirt, maybe more kids will see that and do more good than bad.”
Terry’s company also produced special shirts for a White Out night that were given to the first 200 students to attend a four-game set with Paris.
“Jeff is one of the most unselfish people I know. He is always looking for ways to give back to the youth of Booneville,” said Walker.
Another donation was hoodies for the chess club which came after Terry viewed a social media post.
“They didn’t have on anything that said chess,” said Terry. “I remember learning to play chess in study hall. You had two options: study or play chess, and I sure wasn’t going to study.
“They all look like kids just trying to fit in and it’s neat to try to help. The bottom line is I’m not where I am without people helping me.”
There are also ways Terry helps you may not see from the outside looking in.
“I cannot tell you the amount of times that Jeff has called and participated in a fundraiser just to give what he purchased back to a kid or staff member,” said Walker.
As you might have guessed Terry is a Booneville High School graduate. After earning his diploma in 1991 he went on to play football at UCA – he was a redshirt serving as a practice squad victim when the Bears won a national NAIA title.
He would transfer to Arkansas Tech and was on a member of the Wonderboy team that won the last AIC title.
From there Terry went into coaching at Russellville. He would eventually leave education for a brief period, only to return, and would eventually become the Director of Transportation for Russellville Schools.
At that point, Terry says, he didn’t really expect to leave education but an associate wanted him.
“I was doing marketing and advertising for Beacon Tire and we were doing a lot of things, so we decided it would be easier to do our own stuff than buy it,” said Terry.
The screen printing company Beacon Ink was born.
“I’m glad we did, it gives us an opportunity to help a lot of people,” said Terry.
“Jeff doesn't live here, but he has a huge impact on our kids and community,” said Walker
Obviously the Booneville School District isn’t Terry’s company’s only customer or education customer.
“We do the shirts for the (annual Mike) Fleming tournament. With all the contacts I had from Tech and UCA and all the coaches I know we do a lot of high school stuff,” said Terry. “We keep it in Arkansas because it can get too big.”
Other schools the company serves include Atkins and Alma, Terry said.
