Last updated 9/10/2015 8:47:06 AM
The EAST Initiative is pleased announce that the following EAST programs' grant projects have been awarded EAST Beyond the Bell Grant funding.
Harrisburg Middle School – Tech for the Ages
“Tech for the Ages” will teach computer skills to multiple generations. EAST students will focus on helping learners develop skills that are necessary for both the 21st century and project based learning activities. EAST students will work with upcoming 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students; a variety of school employees and parents; and the local Senior Citizen organization. Beginning with basic computer skills and terminology then advancing to video documentation, to mapping with GPS devices, to virtual travels through the cyber world, “Tech for the Ages” will truly cover it all and will help develop lifelong learners.
Harrison Middle School – HMS EAST Summer Tech Camp
The purpose of this project is to inform the incoming class of EAST students of our capabilities and to allow us hit the ground running next school year. Our students will create videos explaining the significance of certain battles in World War 2. We will then edit the videos using Final Cut. We will compose original music for the videos using Garage Band, and we will develop a website using Dreamweaver. Finally, we will create an interactive battle site map using Arc GIS where we will imbed our videos. Our project will be presented to parents on the final day of camp.
Hot Springs High School – The Dead Zone Documentary
High nitrate fertilizers, climate change, and other issues are combining to cause hypoxia problems in southern states. Last year alone there was a 3000 mile dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico injuring fishing grounds due to issues that originated in agricultural states like Arkansas. Water quality in the Mississippi and other rivers are a serious issue, and that issue is now having a significant impact on the US economy. Hot Springs High School EAST students plan to make a short film documenting the problem and submit it to the documentary film festival to publicize the problem and stimulate change.
Huntsville High School – Madison County Disaster Response Planning Project
Students will be working with the Madison County Disaster Action Team and the New Madrid Capacity Development Initiatives Task Group to identify shelter locations, emergency response centers, material asset and human resource needs for Madison County which will frame resource requirements for the American Red Cross and the overall disaster planning group in the event of a natural or man-made disaster. Students will be using a variety of EAST and American Red Cross resources to develop an emergency response plan which will include the creation of maps with GPS identifiers documenting shelters and population centers as well as developing community education resources.
Kiamichi Technology Center – Choctaw Nation Museum and Native Village Mapping Project
EAST@KTC and the Choctaw Nation Museum are hosting “Totally Teched Out!” This tech camp will be offered to 7th through 9th grade students in the 7-10 small communities surrounding the Choctaw Nation Museum. Attendees will utilize GIS equipment and software to plot the Choctaw Nation’s museum and Native American village in Tuskahoma. The data will be used to create a printed map of the grounds to be placed on the museum’s website and used for marketing purposes. In addition, the students will create a video of the project as it happens, a digital slide show of the project, and a social media page for the project. This project will not only benefit the Choctaw Nation and the museum, but also the many visitors and community members who enjoy this landmark.
Mt. Vernon-Enola High School – MVE EAST Tech Camp
The MVE EAST Tech Camp will provide a tech camp for 50 campers, to demonstrate how EAST works and give campers exposure to technologies in the EAST classroom. The tech camp will be held after school. We will have campers from 3rd grade and up, including community members, for 5 hours per week for a total of 30 hours. The sessions will include: Digital Music, Graphic Design with Adobe, 3d Design with GPS, Filming and Final Cut Pro. The campers will form teams and select projects that will help the community or solve a problem while learning new technologies.
Prairie Grove Middle School – EAST/Environmental Science Collaborative Community Garden Project
EAST at Prairie Grove Middle School, in conjunction with 7th grade Environmental Science classes, our Senior Center, our Meals on Wheels organization, and master gardeners, will plant a community vegetable garden. This garden will provide fresh produce for usage in all four of our school cafeterias; as salad items added to the hot meals provided to over 85 patrons of our daily Meals on Wheels program, and will serve as a hands on learning environment for students K-12 in the Prairie Grove School District. Composting sites as well as vermipods will serve as additional hands on learning tools district wide.
Searcy High School – A Walk Through History
Partnering with Searcy Parks and Recreation, this project will create an interactive fitness trail featuring the historic homes, monuments, and business buildings of Searcy. The project will include the creation of an interactive website linking historic sites through QR codes to historical information, fitness challenge information, and geocaching opportunities. Students will work with community partners such as Main Street Searcy, the local historical society, Harding University, and the City of Searcy to plan, develop, promote, and execute the creation of the historic trail and a 5k (Zombie) fun run which will introduce the historic fitness trail to Searcy citizens.
Sonora Elementary – Weather Watch Patrol: EAST Weather Station at Sonora Elementary
The EAST Program at Sonora Elementary wants to provide a service for the Northwest Arkansas community. By installing a professional weather station, Sonora EAST’s classroom will receive second-by-second updates of a multitude of weather statistics. By partnering with KNWA News and Chief Meteorologist, Dan Skoff, our EAST team will be able to provide life-saving images and data for the entire KNWA viewing area. This data will be streamed live for anyone with internet access. Mr. Skoff and the entire KNWA weather alert team will serve as partners with our EAST students to utilize this data in the best possible way.
Stuttgart High School – Water, Water Everywhere…
Built on old swamplands, certain areas in Stuttgart tend to flood during periods of heavy rain. During heavy rainfall, flooding will often overwhelm the city’s drainage systems. One family had to leave their home due to heavy rains backing up the drainage lines and forcing water into their home. With the recent replacement of major water lines, the city engineer says flooding problems are a thing of the past. But is it really? Students will use Landsat images and ArcGIS to create an interactive, comprehensive map that shows how much rain it takes to flood the streets and surrounding areas. Students will collect and test soil samples from the flooded areas for contamination.
Valley View High School – The ARMS Project (Arkansas Responders Median Safety Project)
The Arkansas Highway Transportation Department contacted Valley View EAST to help create a video for first responders with valuable information regarding the new cable medians being placed on Arkansas Highways today. Our students will create a short informational video for instructing first responders in how to rescue passengers from a vehicle after a collision with the new safety cable medians being placed on Arkansas highways. These cable type medians are safer for vehicles and have decreased fatalities across the United States. Arkansas has recently begun purchasing them and the highway transportation department desperately needs help in the training efforts of the first responders.
Westwood Elementary - Sustainability through Aeroponics Vertical Farming
Sustainability through Aeroponics Vertical Farmingis a multidisciplinary community service project that integrates STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), Common Core, and art process through the idea of aeroponics (vertical growth farming) to help promote a healthier lifestyle. Using EAST technology and in collaboration with the University of Arkansas Engineering Department, local engineers, nonprofit community service organizations, and our school community students will design, create, collect data, and facilitate others through a tech camp and through the creation of an efficient and sustainable aeroponics gardening system. Participants will document the process which will be shared with our community.