LINCOLN -- Three students in Lincoln High School's EAST Lab Initiative class are developing a video that will be used by the University of Arkansas to promote its Adopt-a-Classroom program.
Rebecca Martindale, director of Web Information and Instructional Based Services with the university's College of Education and Health Professions, has adopted Lincoln's EAST class and is mentoring students and helping them with projects that interest them.
The Adopt-a-Classroom program was started by University of Arkansas Education Renewal Zone about three years ago.
Lincoln students Jeremy Miller and Tony Ellis are both interested in using computers in different ways.
Miller is interesting in making movies, acting and directing. He's already created a 30-second commercial and, through this UA project, he will learn how to work with professional video equipment and then edit the recordings into a promotion video for the university. Miller likes learning how to use different software programs.
Tony Ellis is interested in computer hardware and how it all fits together. In his spare time, he has built four computers.
The other team member for the project is Haley Doshier. She is project manager. Her responsibility is to help establish a business schedule and ensure Miller and Ellis stay on task and meet their deadlines.
The students will spend a day with the university's Global Camps' Media Production Services to work with professionals in the field. They will scout potential locations and then shoot video. In the next step, students will edit their material.
"We will be able to experiment with professional video equipment," Miller said. "This will give us real-world experience and show us what it means to work in the real world of video."
The goal is to take the film and turn it into an interactive video that is interesting to students and staff, Miller said.
The Adopt-a-Class program gives students the chance to work with real people on a real job, not just in a school setting. Having Martindale in their classroom also provides a bridge to the students for real-world connections, Miller said.
Elizabeth Smith, director of the Education Renewal Zone, said the video will be shown to the Arkansas Department of Education and legislators and also used to tell other schools about the Adopt-a-Class program. Currently, 28 UA faculty members are acting as mentors in 15 schools for grades kindergarten-12th grade.
Smith said her favorite part of the program is that professors from all over campus are involved, not just those in education. Mentors come from engineering, business, sociology and food service, to name a few, she said.
In some cases, mentors go into a classroom and teach a lesson once a month. Others work on projects, like Martindale is doing with Lincoln High's EAST class.
Martindale said she adopted the EAST Initiative class last spring and enjoyed it so much she returned this year.
"I enjoy hanging out with kids. It makes me feel young," she said. "I had forgotten how much I miss being in a classroom."
She said Lincoln students are very enthusiastic about the projects they are working on.
Gene Kephart, the high school's EAST facilitator, said students work on projects using a business model.
"EAST is student driven and students have to meet with clients to meet deadlines," Kephart said. "We try to develop work-place skills and customize it toward their career goals."
Students work as a management team and maintain a planner to keep track of what they are doing and what will be happening in the future.
He said his rubric for the class is based on performance.
"They have to have continuing improvement, embrace the skills and have self-motivation," Kephart said.
He has 30 students in his EAST classes this year. Prior to education, Kephart worked 15 years in business. His educational experience includes technology coordinator, media specialist, computer classes, physical science teacher and EAST facilitator for the past six years.
General News on 03/04/2015