Though they’ve been coming to Conference for a whopping 24 years now, Clinton High School’s EAST program doesn’t get a lot of time in the spotlight. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t have anything to offer. From mapping their school to making a Christmas card utilizing drones, Clinton has many wonderful projects and an aspect of community and connection that all EAST programs should strive for. I spoke with their facilitator and some of their top students to find out more about this program, which has a lot more to it than meets the eye.

“I think my favorite part of being involved in EAST is learning that everyone will do things differently, but we’re all working for the same goal of student-led progress,” says Sarah Hutchins, the Clinton facilitator. Hutchins has been at Clinton for four years now, and says that though there’s been lots of ups and downs, it’s been very fun to learn through everything. “I love watching the kids be driven and accomplish things on their own.” 

The students are indeed driven, as is showcased by the immense amount of successful and ongoing projects that better not only their school but their community and the people around them. Chloe Hudson and her team have been working on a school garden project that supplies the school cafeteria with fresh-grown vegetables. They have also been raising chickens that donate fresh eggs to the lunch menu. 

Clinton High School has also implemented a fleet of drones to create a Christmas card that was sent out to members of their community, thrown holiday parties for senior citizens at nursing homes, and helped students with special needs present animals at their county fair. Their high school’s EAST students travel to the elementary schools in their district to mentor the younger kids, clean up local monuments and parks, turn their leftover lunch food into compost for their school gardens, and much more.

When looking at the Conference side of EAST, this program is not lacking in creativity or skill. At the 2023 Conference, Clinton High won the Best of Conference: EAST in Print competition for their BuildUp brochure. Their creative booth themes and practiced project pitches consistently make them stand out in a crowd.

“My favorite year at Conference was probably last year,” says Ashtyn Dees. “I loved the Uncharted theme and being able to play off it to create a pirate-themed booth. I also loved walking around and seeing all of the different booths from different schools.”

Though they don’t often get time in the limelight, Clinton has been working under the radar to achieve the Cornerstones that make up what EAST is: community involvement, student growth, and innovative projects. They have received multiple awards from organizations outside of EAST, including the 2023 Arkansas Grown School Garden of the Year. They have also been working to achieve the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission of Leadership through projects like creating an archery team, testing and cleaning water around their area, and keeping tabs on local wildlife.

In short, Clinton is a prime example of what it is to be an EAST program. We would all do well to emulate their example of innovative projects and involvement with all aspects of their community. Clinton High School proves that you don’t have to always be front and center to do amazing things. They embody EAST at its core. To everyone at Clinton, well done. Keep up the good work!