Arkansas Department of Education adds 11 schools to EAST initiative

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A proven education program for Arkansas schools that gives them a chance to impact their communities in innovative ways is being added to more schools across the state.

The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education of the Arkansas Department of Education said Tuesday it will provide startup grant funding for 11 schools to add EAST programs to the 2024-2025 school year.

EAST, which stands for Education Accelerated by Service and Technology, began in 1996 in Greenbrier as an education innovation using self-directed project-based learning for students, with those projects developed to aid communities.

EAST programs are now in more than 200 Arkansas schools and have begun being added to out-of-state schools as well.

Recent EAST projects include students mapping helicopter landing zones in Johnson County to expedite medical helicopter access, raising public awareness of the Uyghur Genocide in China at Searcy High School and 3D printing animal habitats for the Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center by Jonesboro students.

The schools receiving funding are:

• Brookland Middle School
• Carlisle High School
• Fox Meadow School of Creative Media, Jonesboro
• Friendship Aspire Academies, Southeast Pine Bluff
• Friendship Aspire Academies, Little Rock Middle School
• Mayflower High School
• Poyen High School
• Sloan-Hendrix High School, Imboden
• Southwest Middle School, Searcy
• University Heights School of Medical Arts, Jonesboro
• William Jefferson Clinton Primary School, Hope

Officials said that in the 2022-2023 school year, EAST students contributed 17,990 volunteer hours across 1,285 community partners, adding that technical training was provided to 7,610 students through 110 unique opportunities.

The ADE funding will be used to install an EAST classroom environment and provide professional development for the curriculum. Specific classroom resources are based on predictions of what students will need to resolve community problems.

“We focus on tools that are not typical for the student experience, giving them an opportunity to work with standard tools that are used in the various industries outside the school environment,” EAST VP of IT Jerry Prince said. “This hands-on approach allows students to explore their interests while becoming change agents for their communities.”

Information on the EAST Initiative may be found at EASTInitiative.org .

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