Director's Grant: EAST Board Announces Gift To Schools

By Madeline Chosich

EAST isn’t just in the classroom. It’s wherever the students are at any given time,” Aaron David, former Manager of Technical Services for EAST, said at the annual EAST facilitator training professional development event, EAST Seminar, held in July. We learned just how many shapes and sizes classrooms come in during the pandemic.

Our communities are tough, and the EAST community is no exception. In a gesture of appreciation for their dedication and in support of the EAST mission, the EAST Board of Directors is pleased to announce the Director’s Grant for the 2021-2022 school year. Their intent is to allow EAST students to broaden their impact.

The Board of Directors and the EAST Staff looked for ways to use some of their funds to provide their own meager “stimulus” to the EAST programs. “We needed to invest, but not in stock or bonds or bonuses. We chose to invest in the EASTlings,” John Riggs, Chairperson to the EAST Board of Directors, said. “And when this all came about, I truly felt like we were doing something good, something that could change a kid’s life.”

Schools who received the Director’s Grant will be welcoming new technology to their EAST classrooms over the coming weeks. That technology will have an internal and an external impact in their communities.

We are excited to see old problems solved, new problems discovered and the positive results that can come from this investment.

There is no doubt that the Director’s Grant will have a profound impact on the EAST community. As Prince said, “The resources made possible by this grant will give more tools to the students and potentially better access to some of the tools formerly only available in the confines of the EAST Classroom. We are excited to see old problems solved, new problems discovered and the positive results that can come from this investment.”

Internally, EAST is working on putting together a dedicated production studio at the EAST training center. EAST has also invested in a learning management system, video editing platforms, Padcaster studio kits, and more. The technology going into the classrooms includes Adobe Creative Cloud licenses, Amazon AppStream technology, BlackMagic ATEM Mini Live Pros (a professional grade video streaming device), and additional devices to make learning on the go a more accessible concept.

Taken altogether, these tools will allow for greater access and connectivity. Students can connect to software anywhere they are working. They can broadcast out to the universe with the BlackMagic devices, and they will have access to a growing repository of content created by EAST and its supporters. It is a significant step toward the future of how EAST students will interact with the world around them.

“We were given an opportunity to do something that we really have never been able to do,” Jerry Prince, Vice President of Information Technology, said. “I’ve been with EAST for over 17 years. We’re a frugal bunch. We squeeze every dime that we can out and make it go as far as possible. This is an opportunity that led us to dream big, and then even bigger.”

“Facilitators: you all are my heroes … I hope over the next few months as you use this new technology that you’ll let us know if it’s making a difference in that classroom. That’s what we intended to do,” Riggs said. “The EAST Board is there for you. We come from all different backgrounds, from electricians to insurance salesmen, higher education workers, architects and a wannabe organic farmer. And we all came together in support of this.”

Like Sisyphus, we’ll keep rolling the boulder. EAST will continue to encourage students to open their minds and push boundaries, no matter what comes their way. EAST isn’t just in classrooms, EAST is everywhere.

Cameron Magee, owner of Avad3, gives instructions on using BlackMagic ATEM Mini Live Pros at EAST Seminar.