ANNUAL REPORT 2015-2016
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
VISION
MISSION IMPACT
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CONFERENCE
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T R A I N I N G .............................................................................................................. 11 SUPPORT
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OUTREACH
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FINANCIAL RESULTS DEVELOPMENT
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COMMUNICATIONS
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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GREETING
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onventional wisdom holds that the spotlight is a lonely place. There is, after all, no hiding on a stage in front of hundreds or thousands of people. But we find that when EAST students
stand center stage and all else fades around them, the feeling is anything but solitary. It is communal. It is inspiring. And it is euphoric.
In the following pages you’ll find the operations of our organization, the EAST Initiative, in the
spotlight. Through this, we define the successes of our organization by various metrics. Reading further, you’ll find the core values that define our philosophy and reports on the programs we undertake to fulfill our mission. You’ll see the support and growth we provide and encourage and, of course, a report on the financial health of our organization.
In detailing all this, we can only hope to be as inspiring as students like Jordan Lee, whom you
see on the cover of this publication and with me here on this page. He served as a leader among student leaders at EAST Conference 2016, a host to thousands of peers and guests as all of them
gathered to celebrate the work done in EAST classrooms last year. As of this writing, he’s now a
pre-Med student at Vanderbilt University, one of the most prestigious institutions in the country. That is a success that is difficult to measure in numerical reporting. But we take pride in having had a hand in Jordan’s story and in the stories of thousands of students like Jordan, though no two of them are the same. We appreciate the support of those who have helped us shape these amazing young talents. After all, their achievements are why we do what we do and why we believe that our future is bright with opportunity.
President and CEO
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Matt Dozier THE EAST INITIATIVE
2015-2016
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ANNUAL REPORT
VISION
Communities strengthened through service and t e c h n o l o g y.
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VISION The idea of community is a central concept in EAST and in a sense much broader than
simple geography. Communities form around shared interests, and in that way EAST makes
communities out of single classrooms, whole schools, entire districts, towns and cities and even international partners working together for mutual benefit. EAST is a community, itself. Our vision as an organization is to see those communities prosper. While we recognize that such
a goal requires hard work and dedication, we also believe the tools of technology — and the
knowledge to use them effectively — are vital to that effort. Working together, we believe that everyone that participates in EAST, from the project “clients” to the students and facilitators
to the trainers and staff to our donors and supporters, is part of a continuum that strengthens
communities and fosters innovative, entrepreneurial learners who are actively working to make sure that they are prepared for the challenges in front of them as they continue to grow.
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2015-2016
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ANNUAL REPORT
MISSION
T h e E A S T I n i t i at i v e p r o v i d e s a l l l e a r n e r s t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o have r e l e v a n t, i n d i v i d u a l i z e d , l i f e - c h a n g i n g e d u c at i o n a l e x p e r i e n c e s.
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MISSION EAST is opportunity. Whether serving students, educators or the general public, our mission
remains the same. We believe that all learners, when presented with the right tools, can achieve. The nature of those tools and subsequent achievement, however, is unique to each individual.
Each problem is different, and solutions are no less so. But the opportunity of EAST remains the same: empowerment. By offering training, support, grants and development to students and
educators, the EAST Initiative serves as both provider of and advocate for innovative education.
The result is trained professionals who are better prepared to facilitate learning in students who, themselves, prove to be invaluable assets to their schools and communities — and, one day, to future employers or, in many cases, to future employees.
FOUR PILLARS OF THE EAST MODEL: Service-based learning
Technologydriven
S t u d e n tled
C o l l a b o r at i v e Learning
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2015-2016
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ANNUAL REPORT
IMPACT • •• • ••• •••• •• • • •••
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••
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NEW SCHOOLS IN 2015:
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• • ••• • • • • ••• •• • • •• • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • •• ••••••••••••• • •••• •• • • • • • • •• • • •• •• ••• • •• APPROXIMATELY • • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • OKLAHOMA PENNSYLVANIA •• • • • • • • •
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SCHOOLS IN FIVE STATES
19,000 IOWA
STUDENTS
LOUISIANA
New Schools in 2015-2016
185,556 VOLUNTEER
SERVICE HOURS
EACH MONTH *
VALUED AT
MORE THAN
TO THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES
200,000
In the 20 years since its inception, the EAST model is estimated to have served more than
STUDENTS
*Source: “2015 Economic Impact of Arkansas Volunteers,” Arkansas Department of Human Services
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IMPACT In 2015, The EAST Initiative added 15 new schools to reach a total of nearly 230 schools in
five states, with approximately 19,000 students collectively enrolled in EAST. Together they
contributed more than 185,000 volunteer hours each month for an estimated economic impact
of more than $31 million over the course of the school year. Whether coding an app to address the specter of eating disorders or seeking to rewrite state law to save millions on electronics
recycling, students were engaged in projects that changed their communities and, perhaps more importantly, changed their own lives — their aspirations, their potential career paths and their educational attainment — as they learned.
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2015-2016
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ANNUAL REPORT
CONFERENCE
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CONFERENCE Nearly 3,000 students and facilitators from hundreds of schools gathered in March for the most
innovative and electric three days in education anywhere. Supported by dozens of sponsors and offering thousands of dollars in awards, the EAST Conference is an opportunity for students to get hands-on training, network with peers nationwide, become leaders and, most importantly, celebrate the successes of the past year. It is here that the highest achievement in EAST, the Timothy R. Stephenson Founder ’s Award, is presented each year.
In 2015, we didn’t win anything, even the smaller awards. So we were really determined to put in a lot of hard work. And we’ve proven that just becAuse you come back empty-handed one year doesn’t mean you can’t achieve big things. Emma Pall Harrison Junior High School 2016 Founder’s Award Winner
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2015-2016
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ANNUAL REPORT
TRAINING 1,283 STUDENTS TRAINED
161 Facilitators attending Summer Seminar
129 ADMINISTRATORS TRAINED
128 Teachers attended 10 Education Unleashed sessions
66 Facilitators served by EAST Phase Training
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TRAINING In addition to site trainings throughout Arkansas and a three-day Summer Seminar for EAST facilitator professional development, the new EAST Initiative headquarters offers more than
3,000 square feet of training and development space for students, facilitators and administrators throughout the year. Traditional classroom teachers are now also served by EAST professional
development. Education Unleashed takes years of best practices developed by EAST in teaching technology and applies it to any classroom, at any grade level, anywhere.
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2015-2016
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ANNUAL REPORT
SUPPORT
TECH SUPPORT SITE SUPPORT
4,369 responses to support requests, an average of 364 per m o n t h — o r r o u g h l y 1 8 p e r d a y. 211 visits to EAST schools during the calendar year, an average o f N e a r ly 1 8 p e r m o n t h .
I n a d d i t i o n , t h e E A S T I n i t i at i v e o f f e r s g r a n t s t o s u p p o r t s c h o o l s. The Beyond the Bell grants offered $64,606 to twelve schools for projects u n d e r ta k e n d u r i n g t h e s u m m e r o r o u t s i d e o f n o r m a l s c h o o l h o u r s.
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SUPPORT EAST is devoted to direct support of its schools, providing both technical or programmatic support. The technical support staff
helps students and facilitators troubleshoot hardware or software issues, while the program team conducts visits to schools to meet
with facilitators, students and administrators throughout the year to
support and strengthen programs, in addition to offering world-class professional development.
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2015-2016
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ANNUAL REPORT
OUTREACH
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OUTREACH Service is a foundational belief of the EAST Initiative. Not only do EAST students apply
technology to service projects, staff of the organization also endeavor to serve, combining to spend hundreds of hours on volunteer causes on their own time. As an organization, the EAST Initiative also provided technology training to small nonprofit organizations statewide through the Arkansas Nonprofit Alliance, as well as creating a technology-
based learning activity for a nonprofit organization that shelters homeless youth. Finally, the EAST Initiative also assisted the Nature Conservancy in recruiting EAST schools to
create conservation-oriented environmental development projects to bring visitors to the Ranch at North Woods property in Little Rock.
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2015-2016
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ANNUAL REPORT
DEVELOPMENT Donations and other financial support add a new dimension to the work of the EAST Initiative. Indeed, a successful campaign during the 2016 #ArkansasGives campaign raised more than
$5,000, allowing one school to build a new reality, creating a virtual map of their campus for emergency first responders. Please consider offering your support to help fund projects like this one. Your gift helps provide opportunities for student growth and empowerment.
Areas for potential support include: Classroom technology upgrades Student technical trainings After school programs Event sponsorships And much more
F o r m o r e i n f o r m at i o n o n g i v i n g , c o n ta c t J a m e s H o p p e r , d e v e l o p m e n t c o o r d i n at o r , at d e v e l o p m e n t @ e a s t s ta f f. o r g or (501) 371-5016. PAGE
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DEVELOPMENT
NEW SPONSORS EAST would like to thank new sponsors who supported the o r g a n i z at i o n i n 2015-2016:
T o ta l C o n f e r e n c e Sponsorship*
$130,891 Conference 2015
$164,378 Conference 2016
26% I N C R E A S E *INCLUDING IN-KIND AND OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS PAGE
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2015-2016
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ANNUAL REPORT
COMMUNICATIONS EAST Quarterly, or EQ, is the official magazine of the EAST Initiative. Produced four times
a year, the publication is intended to highlight the stories of EAST: student achievements in projects and community impact, standout educators, successful alumni, technical tips and
much more. The magazine is available in printed form at the offices of the EAST Initiative and online at http://issuu.com/eastquarterly.
F o r d a i ly a n d w e e k ly u p d at e s , visit the website or find EAST on social media:
EASTinitiative.org
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@theEASTinitiative
fb.me/EASTinitiative
@EASTinitiative
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2015-2016
BOARD OF D I R E C T O R S
CHAIRPERSON Mr. Jerry Damerow Retired - Partner Ernst and Young VICE-CHAIRPERSON Mr. David Moody Principal Jacksson David, LLC SECRETARY Ms. Melanie VanZandt Bradford Division Leader, Research and Technology Arkansas Department of Education IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Mr. Prakash Jalihal Retired Senior Vice President FIS CHAIR, FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE Dr. John O’Connell Consultant E2T2, Ltd. Ms. Joyce Craft Superintendent Hot Springs School District Dr. Michael Gealt Executive Vice President/Provost Central Michigan University
Mr. Dale Johnson Senior Vice President FIS Global Mr. Dominik Mjartan CEO Southern Bancorp Community Partners Executive Vice President Southern Bancorp Dr. Dean Kahler Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management University of Arkansas at Little Rock Dr. David Rainey Education Consultant Dr. Jim Rollins Superintendent Springdale Public Schools Mr. Brent Staley CEO Staley Inc. Mr. Tommy Tyler Retired Superintendent Crossett School District Ms. Barbara Warren Director Arkansas River Education Service Cooperative
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6215 6215 Ranch RANCH Drive DRIVE •• Little LITTLERock, ROCK,AR AR 72223 72223 EASTinitiative.org www.EASTinitiative.org