Lindley Dalton ’26 and Dr. Erin Mason ’01 are among the group of five seniors and five teachers from Little Rock high schools how have been named recipients of the 2026 Stephens Award by The City Education Trust in honor of their outstanding achievements. This year’s program provided $5,000 scholarships to the selected students and $5,000 cash awards to the chosen instructors. The recipients will be honored during a ceremony and reception on Monday, April 20, at the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce AT&T Auditorium.
Lindley was named a finalist in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Competition in February. She is currently ranked fourth in her class and is an AP Scholar with Distinction enrolled in six AP courses at Mount St. Mary Academy this year. Among her many accomplishments outside of the classroom, Lindley is a four-year member of the school’s volleyball and track teams, and she is also active in Student Athletic Training, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and Build-a-Belles, which partners with Habitat for Humanity. Though her college plans have yet to be finalized, Lindley is interested in majoring in biochemistry and has been accepted to Colorado School of Mines, Loyola University Chicago, Texas Christian University, the University of Denver, and the University of Tulsa.
Her selection as a Stephen Award winner took Lindley by surprise. “I was honestly really shocked when I first saw the confirmation email,” she said. “This award means so much to me because I feel really honored to be chosen as a winner out of all the other applicants who are obviously incredible candidates. I never would have expected to be chosen, even from among the other Mount applicants, so I’m really grateful for this opportunity.”
Dr. Mason has taught at Mount St. Mary Academy for four years. She currently teaches freshman-level English courses, including honors courses for which students may earn concurrent credit. She also serves on the school’s Campus Ministry team and is an adjunct instructor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Overall, Dr. Mason has spent 13 years in the field of education. Prior to returning to her alma mater to teach, Dr. Mason taught in Alaska, at Maumelle Charter High School, at Bauxite High School and Middle School, at Little Rock Christian Academy, and at NLC College. She has two master’s degrees from UA Little Rock – one in professional and technical writing, and the other in middle childhood education – and earned her doctorate in education in Leadership for Organizations from the University of Dayton in Ohio.
“Receiving the Stephens Award is an immense honor,” Dr. Mason said. “As an alumna, it is a privilege to have the opportunity to give back to the school that helped shape me. While this recognition is a professional milestone, I also see it as a testament to our incredible English Department and a tribute to the students whom I not only teach but also learn alongside every day.”
