LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - Tonight's My Town Hero is a legendary Little Rock basketball coach. He's accomplished some remarkable things on the court over the years, but it's what the Arkansas Sports Hall of Famer is doing off the court that makes him so worthy of being called a Town Hero.

This man needs no introduction. Just take a look at the plaques along his wall, and you'll know right away you're in the presence of greatness. Charles Ripley, Head Basketball Coach and Athletic Director at Arkansas Baptist College, wears many hats, but the most significant pertains to meeting the needs of his young athletes.

PANGBURN, Ark. (KTHV) – Carol Yarrington is a woman with ambition! She has spent the past seven years getting her Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in special education all so she can be a voice for children with special needs.

Yarrington felt the calling to be someone that special needs children could rely on after she witnessed her own son, who has autism, go through school. As the years went by, she noticed that some special education teachers didn’t seem to care or did not have the appropriate training. Even if it was just in one child’s life, she was determined to make a difference.

As parents, we all have that desire to get our kids the best education possible. For parents of children with special needs, that desire can turn to frustration. Yarrington is making a difference in the lives of her students every day, but it's the journey that led her to them, that makes her extra special. She teaches students with special needs at Heber Springs Elementary.

AUGUSTA, Ark. (KTHV) - Becki Watkins Hodges’ dedication and passion for helping children in need was brought to THV11’s attention when three people nominated Hodges for our weekly My Town Hero honor. The three of them said Hodges is the absolute definition of a hero as she works closely with children and provides an in-home day care service for low-income families.