FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The University of Arkansas and the Environmental and Spatial Technology (EAST) Initiative have announced the creation of the Northwest Arkansas EAST Training Center. The new center, located on campus in 215 Ozark Hall, will connect EAST students from the state’s 136 participating high schools, middle schools and junior high schools with the University of Arkansas system.

A dedication ceremony will be held at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 15, in the new training center. All media are invited to attend.

"The university was a founding partner in the EAST Initiative and has maintained an enduring relationship with the project," Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Bob Smith said. "This new training center will provide faculty and staff at the university with a unique opportunity to directly interact with hundreds of students from across the state and introduce them to the great educational opportunities here on campus."

The EAST Initiative began in 1995 when Tim Stephenson, a teacher at Greenbrier High School in Central Arkansas, began looking for a way to engage at-risk students. He turned to project-based learning as a way to allow students to take the initiative in their own education.

Stephenson guided students to address actual problems in their school and community. For example, one EAST class analyzed local landscapes to identify optimal placement for tornado sirens. Through partnerships with businesses, Stephenson was able to provide his students with technical tools such as geographic information systems (GIS), computer-aided design (CAD) and global positioning systems (GPS) to assist in their research.

Stephenson partnered with the Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies (CAST) at the U of A to provide technical support for his students. His original class, named "Environmental and Spatial Technologies" by his students, grew into a national, not-for-profit initiative that now serves the entire spectrum of students in grades 6 through 12.

There are currently EAST labs in 212 schools in seven states - Arkansas, California, Illinois, Hawaii, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. Since 1995, more than 15,000 students have passed through EAST classes in Arkansas.

"The EAST Initiative is delighted to be working with the University of Arkansas and CAST to further our common goal of providing world-class educational opportunities to the students of Arkansas and the nation," Matt Dozier, national director of the EAST Initiative, said. "It is through venues like the Northwest Arkansas EAST Training Center that middle and high school students can develop and hone their talents."

The new EAST Training Center features a broad spectrum of technologies, including computer-generated animation and visualization, digital video editing, advanced geospatial tools such as GIS, image processing and GPS. The center will also house a complete suite of developmental tools for the Internet.

"This Training Center will serve as a focal point for activities beyond workshops," said Donald Bobbitt, dean of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. "During the summer, high school students from local EAST programs will have the opportunity to work as interns on 10-week projects, monitored by CAST staff. Additionally, the center and its associated technological capabilities will be available to former EAST students who now attend the university."