From student to alumni to facilitator, Alley Edwards has done and seen it all. This exemplary EAST Alumni is the new facilitator at Newport High School. In a recent interview, she spoke about the beginning of her EAST journey, which started in 7th grade at Batesville Junior High School. “EAST was something different compared to my normal classes,” Edwards said.

In her first few years, she found a passion for video editing that really motivated her to explore EAST and engage with the EASTverse. This motivated her to apply for EAST Conference. She was chosen to represent Batesville EAST from 9th through 12th grade.

Edwards expressed the growth that came with EAST and credited her facilitator. “Ms. Roepcke taught me so much, and it wasn’t necessarily about specific technologies. It was more about people skills." She further spoke about how EAST pushed her out of her comfort zone and challenged her to develop skills such as public speaking that would be beneficial for the rest of her life.

She wasn’t sure what her future looked like, never dreaming it would include becoming a facilitator. On graduation night, Ms. Roepcke said to her “I just wish you would go back to school and come back here and be the EAST Facilitator.” Edwards never thought she’d really end up becoming a facilitator.

Sadly, Ms. Roepcke passed away two years ago. This made a huge impact on her as she had a really close relationship with her and she viewed her as “her school mom.” Edwards spoke about how proud she knew Roepcke would have been to have seen her become a facilitator.

She moved on to speak about how her perspective has changed from being an EAST student to becoming an EAST facilitator. She expressed that becoming a facilitator allows her to “see things from a different perspective and to get up and try something new.” She specifically brought up how different each school is, from their demographics to their classroom setup. 

Yet, all EAST programs within the EASTverse share one goal: “We inspire change. We transform schools and communities by empowering people with technology, encouraging critical thinking and creative problem-solving, and engaging them in positive, real-world experiences. We advocate lifelong learning and community service."

Edwards had so much to say, and her story contains so many valuable lessons. We never know what's in store, but EAST prepares us for the future so we can all become innovative thinkers who inspire change for our future, community, and world.