This year marks 20 years of Four States Living Magazine’s Forty Under Forty issue.

At the Smith family dinner table, conversations don’t always begin with, “How was your day?” Instead, they’re often filled with discussions about lesson plans, student successes, journalism deadlines, classroom leadership, photography competitions, and the occasional string of educational acronyms that would leave outsiders completely lost.

What began as a Christmas gift has quickly grown into an entrepreneurial venture for four Pleasant Grove Middle School students. After receiving a 3D printer in December 2025, Zander Ames discovered a passion for designing and printing articulated toys and novelty gadgets.

A published poet and professor at Clark Atlanta University, brittny ray crowell grew up in and around Texarkana, Texas, as the youngest in a four-generation home. Her debut book, Cord Swell, is a collection is a memorialization of her ancestors, crafted in part from historical documents such as journals and obituaries. 

Homeschooling was not on my radar as a parent. Our family moved to the Texarkana area in the fall of 2013 for my husband’s career. All too quickly, it came time for our son to attend kindergarten—full day, five days a week—and we felt unsettled with the choices that lay ahead of us.

Aiden Kendricks, a sophomore at Texas High School and a dedicated member of the Tiger football team, took on a summer position at Big Dam Waterpark on May 23rd, initially as part of the kitchen staff. Caden Markham, the former assistant manager of operations at Big Dam Waterpark, motivated Aiden to enroll in the Ellis & Associates International Lifeguard Training Program.

Beginning in August, students at North Heights Community School will have the opportunity to participate in LifeWise Academy, a Bible-based character education program offered during “released time”—hours when students at public schools can go off-campus to receive religious instruction, with parental permission.

Nine local students can now say they are authors, thanks to a project overseen by Tina Jones, a teacher at Kilpatrick Academy of Public Service and the founder of the Four States Urban Development Project, a nonprofit organization providing after-school and summertime programs for children.

The next time you’re in downtown Texarkana, you may notice something that seems like it rolled straight out of a different era. No, you’re not suddenly in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, and Mr. Rogers isn’t about to step aboard. What you’re seeing is our newly restored downtown trolley, a project more than a year in the making and the result of countless hours of work from local businesses and downtown advocates.

Running in any kind of race can be a trying experience, with the temptation to quit always around the corner. However, races become much easier when shared with others. In her 12 years as a pacer for the Run the Line Half Marathon, Kim Miller has found a way to lift up her fellow runners with humor and spirit.

The building at 314 Main Street in Texarkana, Texas, has stood since 1913. In 1997, it became the home of Ragland Piano Company—a business that has evolved over its 30 years and maintains a strong sense of belonging within the downtown landscape.

In the days of the building’s construction, pianos were the pinnacle of home entertainment, and a thriving industry supported them. Much like radios or televisions in later eras, pianos were a staple in homes and communal spaces, and their size and quality were a symbol of status. While they haven’t retained that level of cultural importance, they have remained a musical hallmark worldwide and, for most of their existence, have been unrivaled by their digital counterparts. This was certainly the case when Ragland Piano Company opened its doors. However, instruments, like any technology, are subject to innovation, and no one has a better sense of this than the people who sell them.

Last year, local artists Cindy Holmes and Kenisha Webster were selected to showcase work in the 2025 Marfa Invitational Open. The Marfa Invitational Open is a major exhibition showcasing top Texas talents.

Last year, local artists Cindy Holmes and Kenisha Webster were selected to showcase work in the 2025 Marfa Invitational Open. The Marfa Invitational Open is a major exhibition showcasing top Texas talents.

“Family is not who you’re related to. Family is who shows up when you need them most,” said Brandon Bowman, 18, the inaugural recipient of the Salvation Army Red Shield Youth Leadership Award, for both Texas and Arkansas. When Brandon and his sisters were taken in by the Salvation Army’s Center of Hope in Texarkana, they were carrying the weight of circumstances no children should have to navigate. What was to come, however, became a testament to the power of community. The people Brandon met through the Salvation Army became far more than staff members or volunteers. They became role models, and, in many ways, they became family.

Jes Weiner of Magic Hat Muralist is the artist behind nine public murals in Texarkana, including the frequently-photographed Texarkana balloons piece, the geometric TXK logo downtown, and the wildflowers on the South State Line Avenue/3rd Street underpasses. Though born, raised, and beloved in Texarkana, she is very active in other parts of Texas and Arkansas, as well as throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. To date, she’s done over 100 murals across the states.

Heath Lotz, a native of Texarkana and graduate of Arkansas High School, enlisted in the Army in 1996. Thirty years later, he has achieved the rank of chief warrant officer 5—the highest warrant officer rank, held by fewer than .003% of active-duty service members; CW5s are jokingly known as “unicorns” among service members. 

In 1955, a Kansas teenager named Marlene Penney walked into a jewelry store and applied for a sales job. That fateful decision was the first in a series of decisions that led to the establishment of Alexander’s Jewelers, a Texarkana legacy brand currently run by three generations of Alexander men. While brothers Van and David now co-own the store, founder Jerry, at 88, continues to work, serving as a mentor to Van’s son, Mitch. The Alexander family’s venture into the jewelry business began almost 70 years ago, when Jerry met Marlene, his bride-to-be.

Respected, community-minded, and deeply accomplished are only a few of the words used to describe Dr. Denzer Burke. Over the course of his 93 years, the dentist and civic servant has made countless contributions to the Texarkana community. Recently featured in the Texas Dental Journal for several decades of membership with the Texas Dental Association, Denzer will celebrate 64 years with the organization this August. However, dentistry represents only one chapter in a long life shaped by military service, civic leadership, faith, and advocacy. 

Born in 1951 and raised in Texarkana, Kusin credits much of his success to the strong sense of community that shaped his early years. A 1969 graduate of Texas High School, he remembers a hometown where parents, teachers, churches, and neighbors all worked together to guide young people and encourage them to succeed.

A proud Texarkana native, Mark Bledsoe has dedicated much of his adult life to strengthening the community that raised him. When Mark was young, his father suffered a serious health scare and was laid off from work. Like many families facing hardship, they leaned on community programs and local support systems to help them get through.