▁Des ert ▁Z oo ▁and ▁Gard ens ▁State ▁Park , ▁and ▁the ▁annual ▁Christmas ▁on ▁the ▁P ec os ▁Light ▁Show ▁all ▁located ▁within ▁fifty ▁miles ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁M ining ▁Pot ash ▁is ▁a ▁pot ass ium - cont aining ▁comp ound ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁fert il izer , ▁along ▁with ▁nit ro gen ▁and ▁ph osph orus . ▁Pot ash ▁depos its ▁were ▁found ▁under ground ▁across ▁the ▁Perm ian ▁Bas in ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 . ▁Two ▁companies , ▁M osa ic ▁Pot ash ▁Car ls bad ▁( former ly ▁I MC ▁Global ) ▁and ▁In tre pid ▁Pot ash ▁( former ly ▁Mississippi ▁Chem ical ▁Corporation ), ▁operate ▁min ing ▁operations ▁east ▁of ▁Car ls bad . ▁Both ▁mines ▁employ ▁a ▁significant ▁number ▁of ▁workers ▁from ▁surrounding ▁communities ; ▁each ▁company ▁also ▁cont ributes ▁to ▁local ▁char ities . ▁ ▁Education ▁ ▁Public ▁schools ▁Car ls bad ▁Municipal ▁School ▁District ▁is ▁the ▁operating ▁public ▁school ▁system ▁for ▁Car ls bad . ▁Besides ▁the ▁before ▁mentioned ▁schools , ▁Car ls bad ▁Municipal ▁School s ▁also ▁oper ates ▁a ▁char ter ▁school , ▁Jefferson ▁Mont ess ori ▁Academy . ▁ ▁The ▁mission ▁of ▁the ▁Car ls bad ▁Board ▁of ▁Education ▁is ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁public ▁school ▁environment ▁which ▁meets ▁the ▁individual ▁educational ▁needs ▁of ▁all ▁children ▁regardless ▁of ▁their ▁ability , ▁eth nic ity , ▁cre ed , ▁gender ▁or ▁social ▁standing . ▁ ▁Pre - element ary ▁schools ▁▁ ▁Dr . ▁E . ▁M . ▁Smith