Winter EQ 2014

SEMINAR

2014 EAST

Arkadelphia AR

Save The Date

July 9 - 11, 2014

Ouachita Baptist UniversityArkadelphia, Arkansas

Front cover inspired by:Kervin Flores - Russellville High School

CONTENTSWinter 2014

Questions or [email protected]

EAST CoreSite SupportSponsor

Rahul Kaliki

Verizon

245

EQ BriefClick here for a video summary of EQ Magazine

Training & EventsEAST in Social MediaPhase Training & FocusGroups

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SPOTLIGHTSStaff MemberLisa CookBoard MemberDr. John O’ Connell

EAST AlumniRJ Martino

FacilitatorsAnthony DonahooAmanda Cook

SponsorCAST

Project ProfilesGreenbrier High SchoolSonora Elementary

OpportunitiesGearWhere EAST IsGeek SpeakEAST Staff

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EAST Night OutGuest Blog

EAST CoreDeer Populations - STEM Night - Google Hangouts

Deer Populations and Algebra IIAETN is currently producing a video highlighting how Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are related to today’s classrooms in mathematics and English.

The EAST Initiative was contacted by AETN producer Zack McCannon to provide information and projects for the mathematics portion of the video. The video will be sent across the state in promotion of CCSS. Matt Dozier, the EAST Initiative President andw CEO, was interviewed for EAST Core and the integration of CCSS and project-based learning into the mathematics classes.

Hot Springs High School, an EAST Core Pioneer School, was selected to be featured as a model of how to implement the new Common Core State Standards in Mathematics. Noah Flanrey and Tiffany Grayer, Algebra II teachers at Hot Springs High School, and their students had an interest in finding regional Arkansas deer population densities for hunting purposes. This idea grew into helping the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission with their wildlife management program.

Flanrey and Grayer have been EAST Core teachers for two years and have experience applying project-based learning in their classrooms. Like most EAST Core teachers, they are not ArcGIS experts. Fortunately, they have cultivated a solid working relationship with their EAST facilitator Michael Vincent who suggested that they partner with one of his students that has done extensive work with ArcGIS.

This student helped create maps of the harvested deer in their region based on the data from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission website. The maps will be used by all of the Algebra II students to determine population growth or decline of deer in their area.

In addition to creating equations and setting up mathematical models, the students will be getting their hands “dirty.” The students and teachers plan to go out into the woods to collect data on deer waste and other markers to improve the accuracy of their population predictions.

Once students complete data collection, they will use the computers and software in their Coordinated Learning Center (CLC) to finish projects before presenting the information to members of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

It is encouraging to see the students in Hot Springs Algebra II classes apply the skills and concepts of Algebra II to solve real world problems. These include studying probability and statistics to model the data as a function and graph the findings to compare interpretations and decipher similarities and differences.

In addition to learning the core curriculum required to be covered in Algebra II, the students are also developing skills such as: ArcGIS, public speaking, woodsmanship, conservation, Movie Maker Pro, Sketchup and Google Apps.

Perhaps even more importantly, they are learning valuable lessons in teamwork and collaboration. Students are collaborating with government organizations, teachers from other disciplines and student experts in technologies that benefit their project.

PG. 2 EAST QUARTERLY

STEM Night: Building on SuccessTuesday, November 12, was an active night for Star City High School. The parking lots were full, and the casual passer-by must have assumed that a rivalry athletic game was the cause.

However, the night was not about competition or sports; it was about celebrating science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in Star City.

During its second year as an EAST Core school, Star City hosted their second annual STEM night for middle and high school students. Students involved in the EAST program, EAST Core classes, AP math and science classes, and Project Lead the Way Engineering and Biomedical classes took over nearly every room in the school to present projects. Students, parents, community partners and special guests were invited to see what the students at Star City are learning with the support of teachers and administrators. Over 500 guests were greeted at the door by student ambassadors and given a map of the school to help find their way to each presentation along with a schedule and a stamp card. Cards were stamped at each station, and at the end of the night guests with enough stamps would be entered into a drawing for a Chromebook donated by Star City Academic Booster Club. Ambassadors were also positioned throughout the school to assist guests in locating the next presentation. The projects presented in each room reflected the enthusiasm and passion that students at Star City have about what they have been learning. This spark from the students caused guests to walk away with a renewed sense of excitement for the work going on in Star City.

Students conducted 10-minute presentations that included an overview of their projects and demonstrations of the technology included in the Coordinated Learning Center. Students also answered questions from the community and shared plans for continuing, improving or modifying the project in the future. Colleges and universities throughout the state were invited to participate in this event. They sent admission representatives to speak to students and parents about opportunities for continuing their STEM education. After the presentations were over, all guests and students were invited to the auditorium to hear a brief keynote address from the Arkansas Commissioner of Education, Dr. Tom Kimbrell, who praised Star City’s students, teachers and administrators for their commitment to STEM education and partnership with EAST and other organizations to help prepare their children for the future. In closing, Star City principal Mike Walker commented that Star City students were “awesome!” They had a lot to be thankful for and excited about in their school.

With support from the Arkansas Department of Education and STEM Works, EAST Core builds on the success of the EAST model by incorporating best practices into core classes. The EAST Initiative is uniquely qualified to develop and scale the EAST Core model because of its large footprint in the state of Arkansas, a long track record of successfully seeding 21st Century Skills into the schools in an applied approach and established relationships with institutions and organizations.

EAST QUARTERLY PG. 3

Site SupportConference Competitions

Submit Conference Project forMultiple Competitions

Google Hangouts Are for MeCollaboration between professionals in education is becoming more desirable and necessary. Google has improved applications available for its users including the ability for teachers and students to collaborate in Google Hangouts. Hangouts are a way to chat or video conference with up to ten people in your own school, across the state and even around the world. One requirement for participation in Google Hangouts is the Hangout Plugin for your computer. You can download this plugin at https://www.google.com/tools/dlpage/hangoutplugin. If you are downloading for a school computer, you may need to get administrative rights or a technology coordinator to help you with permission to download. Be sure to activate your Google+ account because your Hangout profile is connected to this account. You can start your own Hangout at any time through your friends and others you are connected to through Google. There are even public Hangouts that you can access. Once you log in to your Google account, go to your Google+ page by clicking the +YourName at the top of the screen. Hangouts can be found on the right side of the screen. This will have past Hangouts and options to start new Hangouts. This can be in a chat format, or you can choose to make it a video call. If you click the + New Hangout button, you can include individuals or circles that are saved into your Google account.

Under the Home button (left hand side of the screen) you will find a category for Hangouts in the dropdown list.

you design a logo for Southern Arkansas University’s Logo Design Competition and utilize the same design to create a poster for the Poster Competition? Take a look through all competition guidelines on the Conference website and you may find more than one competition to enter your project.

There are great prizes to be awarded for outstanding projects and EAST programs thanks to generous EAST supporters. Do not miss these opportunities to demonstrate your skills and the difference you are making in your community. #EASTCon14

If you click here, it will show you live Hangouts. These are public sessions that anyone can join. You can even start your own live Hangout. Keep in mind live sessions will be broadcast over your YouTube account.

There are great resources for Google Hangouts that can be found by just searching in Google. Here is one great resource that is a great starting place for help: http://bit.ly/1cX0BZw

Here is a tip: Check to see if your project meets guidelines for entry into more than one competition. For example, a project for the Students for Healthy Communities Competition could also be submitted for the National Service Project Competition.

Does your project include a geospatial technology? Can you enter CAST’s Expand Your Horizons Competition as well as Esri’s Storytelling with Maps? Can

January 22 Application Showcase Competitions


HonorsVerizon Award

Verizon Recognizes EAST with Wireless Technology Innovation AwardVerizon presented the EAST Initiative with a donation of $1,500 for the organization’s work with students, promoting technology and innovation.

In May 2013, Verizon Wireless issued a call for entries for the 2013 Wireless Technology Innovation Awards. The competition was open to any Arkansas-based business with up to 500 employees. Participating businesses were asked to submit a written summary explaining how the company used wireless technology innovatively.

A panel of external judges from the Little Rock community determined the finalists. The judges were not informed of the company name, location or the name of the person submitting the entry. All participants were invited to the awards luncheon; however the winners were not announced until the event.

“EAST is grateful for the support provided by Verizon,” Matt Dozier, EAST Initiative President and CEO, said. “Being recognized for our innovative model and the creativity this fosters in our students is exciting.”

Whiting Systems, Inc. of Alexander and VCC, a global construction company, of Little Rock were the top winners of the Wireless Technology Innovation Awards presented by Verizon Wireless.

Whiting Systems, Inc. received a $10,000 cash grant for using wireless technology for a number of various solutions. The company provides automated wash systems for large vehicles such as trucks, buses and trains. Through Verizon Wireless technology, employees can monitor and make custom changes to each wash system from their company headquarters in Alexander,

Arkansas and provide information on every wash performed – around the world.

VCC was recognized with a $5,000 cash grant for their use of wireless technology in construction project management. Through mobile apps the VCC team can view and update projects in real-time, creating more efficiency on every project.

For more information on the contest, visit the official Wireless Technology Innovation Awards site at www.vzwinnovationawards.com.


EAST Night OutBringing Communities Together

Best EAST Night Out YetOver 4,200 visitors attended the sixth annual EAST Night Out to set a new attendance record for the event. More than 65 schools opened their EAST classroom doors October 15, 2013, in Arkansas and Oklahoma to participate in official festivities. A similar number hosted their event on a night other than Oct. 15 for a total of 133 “Nights Out” this year.

Parents, community leaders and other guests were treated to presentations and demonstrations of the innovative projects EAST students are working on this year.

EAST Initiative staff, board members and other EAST representatives and supporters attended more than 40 events to support our programs and see EAST in action.

“This was my first EAST Night Out, and I had the pleasure to participate at Joe T. Robinson schools,” said Blake Welch, the EAST Communications Coordinator, who attended with EAST Board Chairperson Prakash Jalihal. “It was great to see all the projects and the excitement of the students who shared about their work.”

Thank you to all of our EAST students and facilitators who made another successful EAST Night Out possible!


Technology Changing LivesGuest Blog

Tech Solutions for High Impact

Rahul KalikiCEO, Infinite Biomedical Technologies

The journey began for me as a kid growing up in Arkansas with my head in the stars. I was an avid Star Wars fan, fascinated with the latest and greatest in technology, and I dreamed about a life of fame beyond my hometown of Hot Springs. Yet, like many kids, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life. All I knew was that after growing up watching my dad, an oncologist, I wanted to enhance the lives of those with disabilities or ailments.

Though my end goal was clear, the steps to get there remained muddled until I learned about research at Duke University that was promoting the ability of a monkey to control a robotic limb. Suddenly, what had seemed like imagination had become a reality, and the path had become clearer, though never straight. As I advanced in my academic career at the University of California at San Diego, I tried many different avenues of research and learning – from the basic science research of recording from neurons of a mouse’s hippocampus to the mechanical engineering of building parts for a revolutionary microscope. By trying many paths, I found what fit and what didn’t.

This curiosity led me through my undergraduate, masters, and PhD degrees, through MBA classes, and finally to my current position as the CEO of Infinite Biomedical Technologies (IBT) and Visiting Scientist in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. IBT has now become my personal “sandbox,” where I get to work with really bright engineers and students to come up with innovative solutions for upper limb amputees. One particular problem we’ve been trying to solve is now to enhance the capabilities of existing prosthetic hands, while not adding complexity for the user at the same time.

If you have watched the news lately, read Popular Science or National Geographic or read online tech blogs, you might have learned about the latest and greatest prosthetic technologies being developed. The images may have led you to believe the robotic arms from science fiction, like Luke Skywalker’s hand in The Empire Strikes Back or The Terminator, were close to becoming a reality. The truth is while the prosthetic hands have become more advanced, the ability to control these hands has not significantly improved in over 50 years. Advancements for this patient

population need not be at the cutting edge of technology. In fact, as we have found in our own research and development at IBT, sometimes we can take advantage of proven technologies to build something new and innovative that can really enhance a patient’s life.

The latest prosthetic hands have 14 or more grips available to them – from the ability to form an index point, to pinching with two fingers, to power grasping with all five fingers – just to name a few. For those of us fortunate to have our hands intact, we can seamlessly transition between the necessary grips with minimal conscious effort. For amputees, these electric hands are typically operated using sensors recording muscle activity in the remaining muscles in their residual limbs. As you can imagine, trying to switch between 14 or more functions using only two signals can be nearly impossible.

To address this problem, IBT looked for a solution that enabled switching easily and with a high degree of reliability. We eventually turned to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, developed in the early 1970s and now ubiquitous in our daily lives – from security devices in department stores to devices that help us pay tolls wirelessly on the highway. Our solution, called Morph, operates on a simple idea: use RFID tags attached to objects in the environment to send information wirelessly to the prosthetic hand to select the appropriate grip for the tagged object. With Morph an amputee just needs to move their hand near the tagged object of interest and the hand automatically switches to the right grip.

This year, through the help of students and employees at IBT, we’ve launched Morph after years of development, and it has been the pinnacle of my career to launch a medical device that is actually improving people’s lives. Much like EAST students often discover, we don’t always have to seek the most complex solution to a problem, but rather we may be able to

leverage proven technology with minimal risk to make a huge impact.


Training & Events2014

March 2014

April 2014

Events

National EAST Conference

19th - 21st

January 2014

February 2014Advanced

PhotographyDreamweaver & Intro to

Content Management Systems

Advanced Camera Workshop

3D Animation Modeling with Blender

Introduction to GIS

Advanced Illustrator

Advanced DSLR

The Why of Where: History

The Art of Editing

Systems Administration

Advanced Adobe Photoshop

Final Cut Pro

Final Cut Pro X

Dreamweaver & Intro to Content Management Systems

Finding and Creating Data

The Why of Where: Disasters

The Why of Where: Water

Finding & Creating Data

Intro to GIS

Learning Adobe Illustrator

Digital Photography Concepts

Little Rock Fayetteville

Fayetteville

Little Rock Little Rock

Little Rock

Fayetteville

Fayetteville

Little Rock

Little Rock

Little Rock

Little Rock

Little Rock

Little Rock

Camden

Fayetteville

Little Rock

Little Rock

Fayetteville

Hot Springs

Little Rock

Little Rock

3rd 6th

23rd - 24th

27th - 28th 30th - 31st

4th

4th - 5th

11th - 12th

27th - 28th

26th

27th - 28th

27th

28th

27th - 28th

28th - 29th

1st - 2nd

21st - 22nd

4th - 5th

19th - 20th

30th

2nd


EAST in Social MediaTwitter & Facebook

fb.me/EASTinitiativefb.me/theEASTcorefb.me/theEASTalumnifb.me/theEASTsupport

@EASTinitiative@theEASTcore@theEASTalumni@EASTsupport@EASTdevelopment

instagram.com/theEASTinitiativeyoutube.com/user/EASTHQissuu.com/EASTquarterlyfoursquare.com/eastinitiative

Facebook Twitter Other


Phase Training & Focus Groups

What EAST Facilitators & Core Teachers are saying about Phase Training & Focus Groups

Quotes from Facilitators & Teachers

“I always feel great about going back to the classroom after Phase Training. It seems like EAST always knows exactly what we need!” - EAST Facilitator

“I feel much better about creating a project from scratch. I have lots of new ideas, and I have a Core project I plan to use next semester.” - EAST Core Teacher

“The EAST staff really help me understand EAST better. They calm my fears because they are willing to hold my hand all the way through, if necessary.” -EAST Facilitator


“The EAST Site Support team is great at leading discussions that help us share our concerns, get feedback from other facilitators and reassure us that we are on the right track.” - EAST Facilitator

“The EAST Initiative provides the best professional development I have ever attended. It allows me to grow as my students grow.”- EAST Facilitator

“I have learned how to better utilize driving questions to create better possibilities for student-directed learning.” - EAST Core Teacher

“I loved being able to collaborate with other teachers who actually have experience with EAST Core Biology.” - EAST Core Teacher

“I have a better understanding of what is required to design long-term projects with other disciplines.” - EAST Core Teacher

“I gained a wealth of ideas from other facilitators who have solved some of the same problems I am dealing with in my classes.”- EAST Facilitator


ConferenceDeadlines & Leadership Teams

Congratulations to the students who were selected to serve on the 2014 Ambassador Team!

Position Student SchoolLeader Elise Fry Batesville High School

Speaker Molly Churchwell Greenbrier High School

Speaker Kalie Kendrick Berryville High School

Speaker Luke Methvin Hope High School

Speaker Skyler Shankles Bismarck High School

Member Victoria Burton Har-Ber High School

Member Caitlin Cothern Jonesboro High School

Member Anna Curran Mountain View High School

Member Lanie Driver Robinson Middle School

Member Ike Heinemann Valley View High School

Member Hunter Ingle Searcy High School

Member Jett Jackson Harrisburg Middle School

Member Zach Jones Monticello Intermediate School

Member Christian Lopez Conway High School

Member Kristen Mangrum Paragould High School

Member Yessica Martinez DeQueen High School

Member Dakota Merritt Dumas High School

Member Payton Shackelford Helen Tyson Middle School

Member Spencer Sagely West Fork High School

Member Seth Stephenson Marshall High School

Member Faith Thomas Star City High School

Member Rikki Vaugan Sonora Elementary School

Member Lauren White Star City High School

Congratulations to the students who will document from the 2014 EAST Conference!

Position Student SchoolSocial Media Reporter Matthew Harris Mt. Vernon-Enola High School

Social Media Reporter Belen Vinueza Hot Springs High School

Photographer Brianna Bradley West Fork High School

Photographer Samantha Dodd Prairie Grove High School

Photographer Kervin Flores Russellville High School

Photographer Kyle Lowe Russellville High School

Video Team Co-Director Bryttani Bartlett Hot Springs High School

Video Team Co-Director Evan Pierce Valley View High School

Video Editor Hannah Jones Monticello High School

Videographer Zackary Brown Drew Central High School

Videographer Spencer Jones Hot Springs High School

Audio Technician Thomasa Stegall Indian Capital Tech Center

Congratulations to the students who were selected to participate as members of the 2014

Technical Support Team!

Position Student SchoolCo-Leader California Buhrmester Jonesboro High School

Co-Leader Zachary Simmons Mount Vernon Enola High School

Member Alec Ahlbrandt Lakeside High School Member

Member Derek Doss Berryville High School

Member Grayson Goodwin Greenwood High School

Member David Hager Fountain Lake High School

Member Kenneth Holzhauer NLR High School – East Campus

Member Julian Jackson Monticello High School

Member Justin Martin Cedarville High School

Member Jordan Washburn Conway High School

January

February

March

May

Arrival Group Requests

Breakout Session Registration

2015 Conference Logo Competition

Image Release Forms

Banquet Ticket Payments

5

12

9

5

21

Tech Support Olympiad Preliminary Competition

National Service Project Competition

“Think Big” Project Display

7

24

Application Showcase Competition

Student & Chaperone Registration

Deadline to Withdraw from Conference

22

Music Competition

Banquet - Special Dietary Requests

EAST Conference Begins

Student Name Changes

Bring Emergency Contact Form

Online Program Summary

Shuttle Requests

24

19

12

28

Founder’s Award Competition Application Packets

Banquet Ticket Orders

29

19

Leadership Teams


Save The DateMarch 19 - 21, 2014

Hot Springs Convention Center


Staff Member Spotlight

From CoachingStudents to Teachers

Lisa Cook - Program Coordinator

EAST Program Coordinator Lisa Cook has always loved sports and being active. Growing up in rural western Yell County, she wanted to be involved in everything from athletics to student leadership. Despite a graduating high school class of 18 students, Cook had no problem finding those opportunities.

“I was one of those people who wanted to do it all,” Cook said. “I was in the band, played basketball, student council, Beta Club, yearbook editor and even worked out a plan with a friend of mine to decide who would be president of each club.”

With all of her extracurricular activities, Cook found the most enjoyment out of basketball and sports. Every chance she had to practice or watch a game on television, she took advantage, although in Cook’s small town, this was easier said than done.

“I had to go several miles from my house to find a basketball goal to practice on because I didn’t have one set up at home,” Cook said. “We didn’t have cable so I would get my 13-inch TV, splice the antenna cable and hook it up to watch the Chicago Bulls.”

Cook initially pursued a career as an Athletic Trainer and gained valuable experience at Arkansas Tech University. After much travel with the school’s sports teams during college, she realized coaching might suit her interests better and graduated with a degree in physical education.

Through her EAST and health classes at Robinson, Cook incorporated physical fitness and her love of the outdoors by developing a grant-funded technology/

Cook spent her first five years teaching and coaching at Ola High School, including one year as EAST facilitator, where she coached basketball, track and even football, using her experience as a trainer. After a short break from teaching, Cook spent four years at Joe T. Robinson, coaching basketball and volleyball, and taught health classes. It was also at Robinson that Cook reconnected with EAST.

exercising program. “Technocizing” involved a health and wellness club, hiking, photography and geocaching, a Global Positioning System (GPS) scavenger hunt.

“I loved teaching health because it is a real life issue students need to learn about,” Cook said. “I also believe my coaching personality fit into the EAST model.”

Now, Cook serves as an EAST Program Coordinator for the Initiative and sees her job as a way to coach teachers. She provides site support to about 50 EAST schools and enjoys the professional development component and helping teachers be the best they can be.

When she is not coaching teachers, Cook enjoys maintaining physical fitness through an intense yoga-style workout routine called Pure Barre. She and her husband Joey are avid campers and kayakers who love being outdoors, especially in the fall, her favorite time of year.

“I loved teaching EAST and incorporating my coaching background into working here,” Cook said. “And now I love to get out and visit schools but really enjoy helping teachers do what they do, better.”


Expanding EAST Across the Nation

Board Member SpotlightDr. John O’Connell

EAST board member Dr. John O’Connell is determined to help expand the EAST model across the country, despite the many challenges schools face nationally. Serving with the EAST Board from his home in Des Moines, Iowa, O’Connell is happy to make the long road trip south to work alongside other Board members, especially at the national conference each year.

“One of the reasons I like making the journey to EAST Conference is to see what the students are doing,” O’Connell said. “I see people who are really concerned about their future and the educational system; it’s really fun.”

O’Connell worked for a number of years as an Instructional Technology Consultant for the Iowa Department of Education. It was in this position O’Connell learned about EAST at a State Education Technology Directors Association (SETDA) meeting.

“I enjoyed [a] presentation on the effectiveness of EAST, and one thing led to another and I ended up on the [EAST] board,” O’Connell said. “I firmly believe EAST has a lot of positive activities for student and community involvement.”

Since joining the EAST Board of Directors, O’Connell has seen the challenges of national expansion of EAST but believes the more people who hear of the success of EAST the better chance of introducing the model into more schools.

“We have to keep making people aware of what is happening in Arkansas; EAST’s contributions should be obvious,” O’Connell said. “In this era of tight budgets, everyone is hunkering down. It should be an easy sell, but it’s actually a tough sell.”

Despite the limited resources schools across the country face, O’Connell is encouraged by what he sees every year at the EAST National Conference where students proudly show off their projects. O’Connell also takes advantage of his time at conference to encourage students in their work and accomplishments in serving their communities.

“I like visiting with them in-depth to see they have taken ownership of their projects; developed a plan and executed it,” O’Connell said. “Encouragement is about recognition, for someone from another state to say to them, ‘Wow, this is good stuff’ can be important. The more people they hear from, the more likely they will succeed.”

O’Connell is currently an Educational Technology Consultant for E2T2 LTD in Des Moines where he provides consultation on the integration of technology into educational curriculum. In addition to his work in technology in education, he has also taught Social Studies and coached softball and basketball in Iowa.

Along with serving on the EAST Initiative Board of Directors, O’Connell is a board member of SETDA and the chairperson of its Professional Growth Committee. He also serves on the Iowa Department of Education’s Technology Advisory Committee.

“Like most of our directors, Dr. O’Connell was a strong supporter of EAST before he ever officially got involved in helping us,” EAST President and CEO Matt Dozier said. “He believes in student education first and foremost and has provided advocacy for the Initiative at a national level. I know that all of the EAST staff and board want to see EAST programs spread across Dr. O’Connell’s home state of Iowa; with his help we are trying to do that and even more.”


Alumni Spotlight

RJ Martino

RJ Martino - Join the EAST Alumni

2000 Bryant High School Alum

when they graduate college or get their first job. My career started with EAST.”

Martino also credits EAST with developing his leadership skills, learning how to lead rather than be a follower.

“EAST taught me that leadership was a choice and not determined by natural selection. You can choose to step up and be the leader, a team needs or you can choose to do nothing and be a follower,” Martino said. “I chose to be a leader and those skills do not come easily. Even today I work on my leadership skills.”

Those leadership skills have allowed Martino to speak at industry conferences and corporate events where he examines and discusses technology trends and their effects on the business community.

Martino believes taking full advantage of EAST and not simply being a student in a classroom cultivated these skills and his entrepreneurial spirit and success.

“I loved EAST. It opened doors for me that I would never have had if I had not go through the EAST program,” Martino said. “I chose to be involved, and I mean 100 percent involved, in EAST. I went to every training opportunity that was out there. When a potential project came up, I was the first one to jump in and help.”

Martino encourages EAST students to not only gain as much as they can from EAST but also contribute to the program in every way possible.

“As a self-directed education program, EAST can give you as much, or as little, as you put into it. If you don’t participate in the process, you aren’t going to see the types of opportunities I saw,” Martino said. “But I promise you, if you take it seriously, if you apply yourself and give it all you’ve got, you are going to see more opportunity than you can ever imagine.”

RJ Martino describes himself as an early-adopter and lover of technology and an entrepreneur. His credentials certainly reflect that: RJ was an EAST student at Bryant High School when the EAST program first began, he started his own business one year after high school, helps other business owners incorporate technology into their work and is a former member of the EAST Initiative Board of Directors.

Martino, a 2000 Bryant, Ark. graduate, was hired as a network administrator for a small marketing firm while in high school after he was trained as the EAST class network administrator. Before he completed his Computer Science degree at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, he had already started iProv, an Information Technology company that provides solutions focused on combining business and technology in key areas like software development and user support. iProv also provides internet marketing services to establish business online, engage audiences and position business leaders as industry experts.

“One year after high school I started iProv,” Martino said. “I incorporated many of the core problem-solving techniques I learned in EAST and applied them to small- and medium-sized businesses.” Martino understood early on the significance of EAST and the unique learning experience it provides.

“EAST is not just an educational organization but a different way of viewing the world,” Martino said. “EAST is for those that understand teamwork and leadership are necessary to a successful solution. Most people start their careers


www.EASTalumni.orgRegister to become an Alumni for FREE today!

/EASTalumni @theEASTalumni

Did you know if you were a student in an EAST program or EAST Core classroom for any length of time, you are EAST Alumni? EAST Alumni is a network of former EAST students who want to be involved in community projects, networking, growing with technology and giving back to EAST Schools. We also join the EAST staff at the annual EAST Conference to serve alongside them at EAST’s biggest event of the year.

Membership is free, and we hope to grow as an association to make a difference in the world. The EAST Alumni website is a common ground for alumni to stay connected with each other, keep up with events, ask questions, share stories and inspire each other. Register today to continue your EAST experience and prove that EAST students can make a difference in the world.

Alumni who assist at Conference will receive a Conference t-shirt and a ticket to attend the Awards Banquet Thursday evening. Alumni who stay in Hot Springs will also receive the EAST rate at several local hotels. One Alumni will be chosen as the conference team leader and receive two complimentary nights hotel stay, serving as the main alumni contact at

Alumni are invited to EAST ConferenceConference. If you would like to volunteer at Conference, please visit the link below and complete the form.

Click here to Sign-Up as an Alumni for Conference


Amanda CookEAST Core Geometry Teacher - Monticello High School (AR)

Anthony DonahooEAST Facilitator - Creston High School (IA)

Facilitator SpotlightAnthony Donahoo - Amanda Cook

Please tell us your favorite thing about EAST in general:

How has EAST Core impacted you?

Why do you think EAST is important to education in the US?

What positive changes/outcomes have you seen in students, while actively working with EAST Core:

Please describe why you decided to become an EAST facilitator:

Where do you see your EAST program in five years?

Why would you recommend EAST Core to students and other teachers?

Where do you see your EAST Core program in five years?

I love watching the students lead the classroom. I enjoy seeing the students truly teach themselves.

EAST Core has given me the opportunity to learn with the students in their projects, and it has made teaching much more fun.

It’s a student-driven program that teaches students how to think for themselves.

Students are more eager to learn and participate in classroom activities.

EAST makes education fun again.

I see the program continuing to be student-driven and student-taught; I also see us continuing to participate in higher-order projects that push the students to

dig deeper.

EAST Core makes learning and teaching fun, and it gives everyone a chance to change the world around them.

I hope that our EAST Core program will grow, and get strong support from the community in the future.


Sponsor SpotlightCAST

If you ask anyone who has been around the EAST Initiative any length of time

about the relationship with the Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies, you may

hear, “CAST is like family.”

“EAST would not exist without CAST and the leadership of Dr. Fred Limp and his

team,” said Matt Dozier, the EAST Initiative President/CEO. “There is nothing better

than having a partner that shares the same passion and mission for helping give

students opportunities to learn and succeed.”

CAST is a department located on the University of Arkansas campus that focuses

on three areas: research, education and public service through outreach. CAST

specializes in serving the academic community through its emphasis on high

quality university courses in geospatial theory and method.

In 1991, CAST started at the university with a mapping project of civil war

battlefields in Arkansas. At that time they were one faculty member and a

few researchers. Since then, CAST has contributed to projects for the National

Park Service, the United States Army Corp of Engineers, the National Science

Foundation and many others worldwide. Every project has spatial components

involved, including remote sensing by extracting information from satellites or

gathering ground information using the Global Positioning System (GPS).

Over 17 years ago EAST founder Tim Stephenson learned about CAST while

searching for support for a Geographic Information System (GIS) project in his

classroom at Greenbrier High School. Stephenson took a chance and drove

to Fayetteville for an impromptu meeting with Dr. Limp, CAST director at the

time. One of the research projects CAST was developing included technology

integration into the general public with graduate students as the catalysts to

accomplish this; however, this model was not producing results as planned.

Dr. Limp decided to give Stephenson a chance and sent a graduate student

to Greenbrier to train high school students how to use the equipment. The

project was initially met with opposition from the school, but a parent of one of

Stephenson’s students intervened to help communicate to the school’s leadership

the magnitude of learning the project could offer students. Stephenson’s idea

gained support, and thus began a vital partnership that has helped lay the

foundation for the EAST Initiative.

“Early adopters of ideas are risk-takers,” Stephenson said. “Within a year, the student

training model really took off and changed the face of the technology integration

effort from college and industry professionals to high school students.”

The partnership between CAST and EAST has been cultivated from years of

teamwork and the shared confidence in the EAST model that allows students

freedom to be the thinkers and leaders in the classroom.

“EAST provides an opportunity for students to apply immediately what they are

learning in school by choosing and leading a project in a way that is not done in

other classes,” said Dr. Jack Cothren, CAST Director. “They learn teamwork, they talk

to the community about issues, present the work they have done and experience

the real world.”

CAST has been a faithful partner and supporter of EAST. CAST staff continues to

train EAST students all over Arkansas, was the first education partner of EAST, has

been actively involved at the EAST National Conference each spring, provides

technical support and other resources and had staff members serve on the EAST

Board of Directors. EAST and CAST represent the true power of partnership.


Project Profiles

Soaring out of This WorldWeather Balloons / Greenbrier High School & Sonora Elementary

Sonora Elementary School

Sonora EAST students were introduced to weather balloons in 2012 when they

hosted a balloon launch for Northwest Technical Institute (NTI). During its 2013

Summer Aeronautics Camp (an EAST After Hours Grant project), Sonora invited

NTI instructor Billy Graham and his students to participate in the camp and began

a partnership to launch a second weather balloon.

After a few delays, Sonora and NTI successfully launched a second balloon

October 11, 2013, equipped with a GoPro HD camera. EAST facilitator Josh

Worthy utilized social media to give up-to-the-minute updates on the launch. The

balloon’s flight lasted 118 minutes, traveled 127 miles and reached temperatures

of minus 40 degrees.

“This project has allowed the kids to get off campus and look at Sonora in a

different way,” Worthy said. “Recording weather images and data is very cool, but

the kids are treating it like a challenge. [Some people] have said kids learning

code while programming and tracking a weather balloon couldn’t be done. The

students are setting out to show them otherwise.”

Sonora students are using cutting-edge technology for their weather balloon

project, including the Texas Instruments Launch Pad and TMP-006 Booster Pack,

ArcGIS, GoPro HD camera and more. Some equipment is funded through the

Arkansas Space Grant Consortium, allowing Sonora to launch a third balloon

without assistance from a post-secondary school.

Initially the project at Sonora was intended to be a lecture and lab demonstration

but developed into something better: EAST students taking ownership and

creating their own project.

EAST students in two Arkansas schools have reached new heights, literally. In the past few months, the Greenbrier High School and Sonora Elementary EAST programs

have successfully launched weather balloons miles above the earth to collect data and capture atmospheric views.

Sonora Elementary School in Springdale and Greenbrier High School have each sent the data recording, helium-filled spheres soaring into the sky, followed their journeys

and tracked down the equipment after the balloons free fall thousands of feet back to the ground.

“Our EAST kids are now driven to see if they can do similar projects that are being

conducted at a local technical school in our community,” Worthy said. “They have

been the ones searching for Launch Pad tutorials, they have created a wireless

power supply for the Launch Pad, reached out to NTI for follow-up ideas and are

the ones driving toward a third and final weather balloon launch.”

Greenbrier High School

At Greenbrier, EAST students created a blog to document their weather balloon

launch project as soon as preparations began in October. After months of

research and planning, what started as simply a fun project developed into a

scientific experiment that gained attention from local media and the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub.

“The initial attraction was to see how cool it would be to launch a balloon into

space with a camera attached,” Greenbrier EAST Facilitator Kim Austin said. “As the

learning and research progressed, so did the science.”

Greenbrier students captured images miles above the Earth with a GoPro Hero3

camera and used a barometer equipped with Arduino microprocessor technology

to record data such as temperature and air pressure. The data, stored on an SD

card, was then analyzed and graphed in Microsoft Excel.

Check out the Greenbrier EAST Space Balloon Launch blog for a look back at

the journey of their weather balloon project, including more images and detailed

data collected from the launch.



Thank you to all of our sponsors and supporters who help make EAST happen for students.

CAST

The

Cent

er for Advanced Spatial Technologies

University of Arka

nsas

, Fa

yetteville

U of A

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK

Join them at SupportEAST.org


EAST GearOrder Today!

EAST Gear Items

Click here to Order

*Items not pictured

HatLanyardBlack Ltd. Edition ShirtEAST Bandz (pkg of 2)PJ PantsZipper Cinch Bag

Long Sleeve T-ShirtBoxersConference Hoodie

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Annie Camp Jr. High SchoolArkadelphia High SchoolArkansas High SchoolAshdown High SchoolAshdown Jr. High SchoolBald Knob Middle SchoolBatesville High SchoolBatesville Jr. High SchoolBauxite SchoolsBeebe High SchoolBeebe Jr. High SchoolBeebe Middle SchoolBenton Co. School of the ArtsBentonville High SchoolBergman High SchoolBerryville High SchoolBismarck High SchoolBlevins High SchoolBrinkley High SchoolBrinkley Middle SchoolBrookland High SchoolBryant High SchoolCabot High SchoolCalico Rock High SchoolCamden Fairview High SchoolCave City High SchoolCedar Ridge High SchoolCedarville High SchoolCenterpoint High SchoolCentral High School Central High School (Helena)Clarendon High SchoolClinton High SchoolCloverdale Magnet Middle SchoolCollege Hill Elementary IB WorldCollege Hill Middle SchoolConway High SchoolCossatot River High SchoolCross County High SchoolCrossett High SchoolCrossett Middle SchoolCutter Morning Star High SchoolDardanelle High SchoolDeQueen High SchoolDewitt High SchoolDierks High SchoolDover High SchoolDover Middle SchoolDrew Central High SchoolDumas High SchoolDumas Jr. High SchoolDunbar Middle School

East Arkansas Community CollegeEl Dorado High SchoolEngland High SchooleStem Middle SchoolEureka Springs High SchoolFarmington High SchoolFayetteville High SchoolFordyce High SchoolForeman High SchoolForest Heights Middle SchoolFouke SchoolsFountain Lake High SchoolGardner Math, Science, and Technology Magnet SchoolGenoa Central High SchoolGravette High SchoolGreen Forest ISGreenbrier High SchoolGreenbrier Jr. High SchoolGreene County Tech High SchoolGreenland High SchoolGreenland Middle SchoolGreenwood High SchoolGurdon High SchoolHackett SchoolsHall High SchoolHamburg High SchoolHampton High SchoolHar-Ber High SchoolHarrisburg High SchoolHarrisburg Middle School*Harrison High SchoolHarrison Middle SchoolHelen Tyson Middle SchoolHenderson Middle SchoolHope High SchoolHoratio High SchoolHot Springs High School*Hot Springs Middle SchoolHuntsville High SchoolIzard Co. Cons. High SchoolJ.A. Fair High SchoolJacksonville High SchoolJacksonville Middle SchoolJD Leftwich High SchoolJessieville High SchoolJoe T. Robinson High SchoolJoe T. Robinson Middle SchoolJonesboro High SchoolLake Hamilton High SchoolLakeside High School (HS)Lakeside High School (LV)

Lamar High SchoolLincoln High SchoolLonoke High SchoolLonoke Middle SchoolM.L. King Elementary SchoolMabelvale Middle SchoolMacArthur Jr. High SchoolMagnet Cove High SchoolMagnolia High SchoolMagnolia Jr. High SchoolMalvern Elementary SchoolMalvern High School*Malvern Middle SchoolMammoth Springs High SchoolManila High SchoolMann Middle SchoolMansfield High SchoolMarshall High SchoolMarvell High SchoolMaumelle High SchoolMaumelle Middle SchoolMcClellan High SchoolMcGehee High SchoolMena High SchoolMena Middle SchoolMidland High SchoolMineral Springs High SchoolMonticello High School*Monticello Intermediate SchoolMonticello Middle SchoolMorrilton High SchoolMountain Home High SchoolMountain Pine High SchoolMountain View High SchoolMt. Vernon-Enola High SchoolMurfreesboro High SchoolNashville High SchoolNettleton High SchoolNettleton Jr. High SchoolNewport High SchoolNorth Heights Jr. High SchoolNorth Little Rock High School - East CampusNorth Little Rock High School - West CampusNorth Pulaski High SchoolNorthside High School (Fort Smith)Northwest Arkansas Community College (Bentonville)Oak Grove Middle SchoolOark High SchoolOmaha High School

Where EAST Is

ArkansasEAST Program & EAST Core Schools*

Osceola High SchoolOzark Middle SchoolParagould High SchoolParagould Jr. High SchoolParis High SchoolParkview High SchoolPerryville High SchoolPinkston Middle SchoolPottsville High SchoolPottsville Jr. High SchoolPrairie Grove High School*Prairie Grove Middle SchoolPrescott High SchoolPulaski Heights Middle SchoolRandall G. Lynch Middle SchoolRison SchoolsRobert F. Morehead Middle SchoolRoberts Elementary SchoolRose Bud High SchoolRussellville High SchoolRussellville Jr. High SchoolSouth East Arkansas Community Based Education Center Searcy High SchoolSheridan High SchoolSonora Elementary SchoolSouthside High School (Batesville)Southside High School (Fort Smith)Springdale High SchoolStar City High School*Star City Middle SchoolStrong High SchoolStuttgart High SchoolSulpher Rock Magnet ElementarySylvan Hills High SchoolTrumann High SchoolTwo Rivers High SchoolUniversity of Arkansas at Little RockValley View High SchoolVan Buren High SchoolVilonia High SchoolViola High SchoolWatson Chapel High SchoolWest Fork High SchoolWest Fork Middle SchoolWest Memphis High SchoolWestwood ElementaryWhite Hall High SchoolWilbur D. Mills High SchoolWilson Intermediate SchoolWonderview High SchoolWoodlawn High School


Southwood High School Creston High School

Indian Capital Technology CenterKiamichi Technology Centers Conwell Egan Catholic High School

Louisiana Iowa

Oklahoma Pennsylvania

Arkansas

Louisiana

Oklahoma

Iowa

Pennsylvania

Where EAST IsClick here to view the full list of schools

Northeast Technology CenterTri-County Technology Center


Geek SpeakTechnical Support Spotlight

Technical Support: Issue Spotlight

2

To: EAST Technical Support

From: Student

Ticket: My printer/plotter displays an error message and will not print any jobs I

send to it. I have unplugged the plotter and plugged it back in but still haven’t had

any luck with getting it to print. I have checked all cables to the back of the plotter,

and I have blinking lights at the network jack on the back of the plotter.

Background InformationPrinters and plotters become work-horses in EAST classrooms. Over time, normal wear and tear can be expected as all parts only have

a limited service life. When things break or wear out, you’ll see an error message indicating a malfunction.

1

Troubleshooting TipsNote: If your plotter is under warranty, contact the appropriate manufacturer’s technical support. Often though, standard warranty periods do

not cover the service life of most consumables. There is a tutorial on the EAST website that details how to check the status of the warranty for

HP printers and obtain other downloads such as drivers and user guides: http://bit.ly/1dk9XRM

3

4

5

Look for any obvious signs for the error. Follow any onscreen

instructions. Check your paper and ink supplies, as well as for

any obstructions, jams or leaks inside the printer. If the error

condition persists, power cycle the printer (turn it off then

back on). If the problem exists, unplug the printer for at least

15 minutes to clear out the printer’s electronic memory and

sensors, then plug it back in and power it on again.

Search online for the printer’s Make, Model and Error Code (e.g. HP

DesignJet T770 47:01 Error). Typically a wealth of information is

available about the issue and possible solutions.

Look up the error code in the printer’s user manual. If you cannot

locate a manual, search online or visit the manufacturer’s support

website (refer to the tutorial linked above). Once it is found,

download and save the manual for future reference.

Search for the plotter’s service manual online using the Make,

Model and Service Manual (e.g. HP DesignJet T770 Service

Manual). Then look in the service manual for the error code and for

additional possible solutions.

Note: The service guide often contains information for service

personnel. Read instructions carefully, and use with caution.

If the issue persists, contact local support or repair personnel if not

under warranty if you have exhausted all other support resources.

You may also contact EAST Technical Support at [email protected].


Webcams and QR CodesQuick Response (QR) Codes are an excellent way to quickly get useful

information into your tablet or smartphone. But what happens if you

want to capture a QR Code using the webcam attached to a laptop or

desktop computer?

There are programs that already do this, but there is also a more

sophisticated approach. For a solution consider developing software

to decode the QR Code from the webcam, and add the data encoded

in the QR Code to the users clipboard.

The first step is to download and unzip Processing at www.processing.

org. After unzipping Processing you will need to download two

more files that are part of XZing, a java library that can decode QR

Codes from images. The files are “core.jar” and “javase.jar” and can be

downloaded at http://bit.ly/1gVjuxw.

After downloading the .zip file named “xzing.zip,” extract the two

files into a folder. Now open “processing.exe” and go to “File>Save

As.” Create a name for your program such as “qrClipboard.” Next click

“Sketch>Add File” and add both of the files you just extracted (“core.

jar” and “javase.jar”). Click “Sketch>Show Sketch,” and a folder should

pop up with your program and a folder named “code” that contains

the two .jar files.

Your program should now be set up and ready for code. Download

the code at http://bit.ly/Kax5VP, and copy and paste the code into

Processing.

At this point the program should be ready to run. Make sure your

webcam is successfully connected to the computer, then press the

run button in Processing to open a window showing video from the

webcam. Your program is now searching for a QR Code.

To create the QR Code, download a program called Zint at:

http://bit.ly/1iqRpi1.

Tools & software needed for this tutorial:

Processing

Computer

Webcam

Printer

Internet Connection

After downloading, open Zint to find the “Symbology” dropdown

menu. Scroll down until you find “QR Code (ISO 18004).” Look for the

“Your Data Here!” text field, and delete the text to add the text you

would like encoded into the QR Code. Press Save and Zint will save

your QR Code as a PNG image. Print the QR Code and show it to the

Processing program via the webcam. The text you encoded into the

QR Code should now be floating above the QR Code in the webcam

video in Processing.

Not only is the QR Code text shown in the webcam now but it is also

saved in the computer’s clipboard. You can paste the text into any

program that accepts text such as encoding a website address into

the QR Code, show the QR Code to the Processing program then paste

the address into your browser’s address bar.

If you discover some helpful and creative ways to use this program,

especially in your EAST classroom, share it with us on social media or

email us at [email protected].


Matt Dozier

[email protected]@Matt_Dozier

President/ Chief Executive Officer

Tami Baker

[email protected]@Tami_EAST

Program Coordinator

Phaedra Hawkins

[email protected]

Training & Events Coordinator

Mary Forst

[email protected]

Chief Financial Officer

Doug Gusewelle

[email protected]@dougTSG

Technical Resource Specialist

Lori Andrews

[email protected]@photochick724

EAST Core Coordinator

Calvin Bramlett

[email protected]@CalvinBramlett

Graphic & Web Designer

Reuben Canada

[email protected]@cubanreuben88

Technical Support Manager

Marisa Damm

[email protected]@marisadamm

Technical Support Group - Member

Lisa Cook

[email protected]@LisaC_EAST

Program Coordinator

Adam Clemons

[email protected]@adamclmns

Technical Support Group - Lead

Jessica Dunham

[email protected]

Event Coordinator

@JessicaD_EAST


Dondi Jackson

[email protected]@theEASTcore

Senior Director of Curricular Integration

Linsey Horton

[email protected]@linseyhorty

Administrative Assistant

Jerry Prince

[email protected]

Senior Director of Program Services

Dr. Angela Kremers

[email protected]@EASTdevelopment

Senior Director of Corporate Strategy

Erica Riley

[email protected]@EricaRiley_EAST

Program Coordinator

James Hopper

[email protected]

STEM Coordinator

Tim Stephenson

[email protected]

Special Liaison for Program Support

Eric Holt

[email protected]

Internet Services Manager

Cody Jones

[email protected]@codyjones20

Staff Accountant

Melanie Ridlon

[email protected]@Mridlon

Senior Director of Operations

Blake Welch

[email protected]

Communications Coordinator

Tim Van Dusen

[email protected]@trackernation

Network Manager


www.EASTinitiative.orgJanuary 2014

Documents

Winter EQ 2014