Horse racing

Highlights

EAST Seminar 2023 Highlights

More than 200 facilitators and EAST staff went Off to the Races for #EASTSeminar in July. Educators, community leaders and partners, staff and sponsors spent three days engaging in professional development, sharing best practices among the group, and attending networking events at Oaklawn Hot Springs.

Group photo

Before we hit the highlights, we need to thank a few very important people:

  • Arkansas Community Foundation IMPAC Endowment, our 2023 EAST Seminar presenting sponsor
  • AVAD3, ArcBest Technologies, the University of Arkansas College of Education and Health Professions, Acxiom and Teslar Software for sponsoring EAST Seminar
  • Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies, A-State Delta Center for Economic Development (Thrown to the Wolves), University of Arkansas Center for Public Health and Technology, Arkansas STEM Coalition, Arkansas Environmental Education Association, AVAD3, ArcBest Technologies, and Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts for participating as exhibitors
  • Visit Hot Springs, the Mid-America Science Museum, Catering Temptations and Oaklawn Hot Springs for their support and assistance with events throughout the week
  • And finally, to the more than 50 businesses, organizations and individuals who donated door prizes for our facilitators…

Service Recognition

Each year at EAST Seminar, staff members have the opportunity to celebrate and recognize milestones achieved by our facilitators. As such, the EAST community celebrated the following facilitators for their years of service:

5 Years of Service

5 Years of Service:

  • Lorenzo Balderas
  • Carla Phares
  • Brett Barber
  • Jason Crader
  • Danny Brustrom
  • Brenda Spinks
  • Abbie Russell
  • Erin Askew
  • Jennifer Robinson
  • Anne Sargent
  • Constance Clark
  • Melissa Brooks
  • Charles Jones
  • Jo Huggins
  • Lisa Kirk
  • Melissa Cureton
  • Rob Plant
10 Years of Service

10 Years of Service:

  • Lori Campbell
  • Beth Hicks
  • Debbie Hester
  • Penny Chanler
  • Bill Mills
  • Brittany Berry
  • Carman Owens
  • John Stokes
  • Christy Woody
  • Jason Weaver
  • Meredith Wilkins
15 Years of Service

15 Years of Service:

  • Aaron Sharp
20 Years of Service

20 Years of Service:

  • Kim Austin & Sandra Taylor

Networking Events

Welcome Reception | Tuesday Night

We kicked off EAST Seminar 2023 on Tuesday night with a pre-registration event and reception at Oaklawn Hot Springs. Seminar attendees had early access to registration while enjoying hors d’oeuvres and networking games.

Meet-Up @ Mainline | Wednesday Night

Facilitators and staff converged on Mainline, Oaklawn’s family-friendly sports-themed experience. Attendees had the opportunity to try their hand at axe throwing or to challenge their colleagues in the Topgolf Swing Suites.

EAST Seminar Social at Mid-America Science Museum | Thursday Night

Everyone was invited to network with peers and to enjoy a blast-from-the-past while checking out Toytopia, a one-of-a-kind exhibit that featured the world’s largest Etch a Sketch and other retro games. Proceeds from tickets sold benefitted the EAST Scholarship Fund; more than $1400 was raised from this event!

EAST Seminar 2023 Slideshow

Presenters

Year in and year out, EAST Seminar offers high quality professional development for Facilitators. None of that would be possible without the following individuals who presented during this year’s event:

  • Brian Culpepper
  • Malcolm Williamson
  • Scott A. Anderson
  • Robyn Lane
  • Gabriel Diaz Montemayor
  • Jessica Deavult
  • Brian Kutsch
  • Hannah Vogler
  • Rob Brisk
  • Michael Alexander
  • Alan Keith
  • Brittany Hillyer
  • Page Dobbs, PhD
  • Joel Gordon
  • Christopher Bussell
  • Jodi Keith
  • Millie Nordman
  • Leeann Mobley
  • Drew Killingsworth
  • Jordan Hunter
  • JR Deniz
  • Payton Reep
  • Brittany Harris
  • Lori Campbell
  • Carmen Powell
  • Jerry Harvey
  • Jon Taylor
  • Matt Little
  • Ivan Huffmaster
  • Jennifer Boogart
  • Kelly Martin
  • Erin Rappold
  • Amanda Wicker
  • Jamie Stallings
  • Shane Benson
  • Brittany Berry
  • Derek Ratchford
  • Bradley Brewer
  • Fred Rickert
  • Rinda Hall
  • Jason Blake
  • Troy DeBill
  • Sara Manning Drew
  • Jerry Prince
  • Melissa Clemons

Door Prize Donors

Members of our communities who support EAST went above and beyond to support our facilitators with so many door prizes this year! These donations included tickets to the Kansas City Royals, tickets for concerts at the AMP in Northwest Arkansas, and many generous gift cards for establishments across Central Arkansas.

  • Oaklawn Resort Vacation Package
  • Arkansas Innovation Hub
  • Nature Backs
  • DoubleTree by Hilton Hot Springs
  • Little Rock Marriott
  • Branch Out Conway
  • Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts
  • Guillermo's Grounded Coffee
  • Boulevard Bread Company
  • Chilis
  • Gearhead Outfitters
  • Red Lobster
  • Grumpy Rabbit Restaurant
  • Good Earth Garden Center
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Kansas City Royals
  • Anthropologie
  • Yellow Rocket Concepts
  • Civil Axe Throwing - Little Rock
  • Fayettechill
  • Civil Axe Throwing - Jonesboro
  • Civil Axe Throwing - Fort Smith
  • Whole Hog Cafe - NLR
  • Texas Rangers
  • Magic Springs Theme and Water Park
  • Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge
  • Sphero
  • Urban Air Park - Conway
  • Visit Rogers - Walmart AMP
  • Arkansas Travelers
  • Grand Country Music Hall
  • Studio 14
  • Little Rock Marathon
  • Scott Family Amazeum
  • Chipotle Mexican Grill
  • The Ride in Conway
  • Museum of Discovery
  • Padlet
  • Little Rock Zoo
  • Murry’s Dinner Playhouse
  • Arkansas River Sunset Kayak Tour
  • EAST
  • Crescent Hotel & Basin Park Hotel
  • Northwest Arkansas Naturals
  • Andy's Frozen Custard
  • Oriental Trading Company
  • Bark Box
  • Visit Hot Springs
  • Costco Wholesale
  • Chicken Salad Chick - Conway, Jonesboro, Fayetteville
  • CVS
Horseracing sillhouette
EAST Initiative
501.371.5016
events@eaststaff.org
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EAST Seminar is a three-day conference by EAST Initiative that provides professional development & networking opportunities for educators. © 2023 EAST® Initiative | EAST® is a registered trademark of Environmental and Spatial Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy