Industry Tours

Tuesday, July 16

Industry tours

Industry Tours are back this year for EAST Seminar! We have three dynamic, different businesses we will visit in Northwest Arkansas, all of whom will give us a better understanding of how the technology and skills used in EAST classrooms are making a big impact in the real world. Check out the descriptions and schedule below and make your plans to meet us on Tuesday, July 16 at 12:30 pm for an afternoon of discovery and fun with the EAST Seminar Industry Tours!Registration for this unique opportunity is just $20. Please note that seats are limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, so sign up today!

First stop: crystal bridges

Crystal Bridges

Join us for an exclusive industry tour for EAST facilitators at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, focusing on the fusion of art and technology. Experience the breathtaking Exquisite Creatures exhibit, participate in hands-on workshops with digital art and augmented reality, and immerse yourself in a cutting-edge virtual reality session that showcases VR's educational potential. Gain practical insights, explore the latest tech tools, and network with fellow facilitators and industry experts. Don't miss this unique opportunity to gather new classroom ideas and experience the magic of art and technology combined.

second stop: avad3

Crystal Bridges

If you have attended EAST Conference lately and marveled at the spectacle that is Opening and Closing Session, then you’re already familiar with avad3’s work - you just may not have realized it. For this next stop on our tour, the folks at avad3 are going to walk us through their story and through the technology they use in show production for clients that range from massive (like Walmart) to small, but awesome (like EAST) - technology that you have probably seen in your EAST classroom. You won’t want to miss this behind-the-curtain experience to see how the tools your students are using in the classroom are being used to create real world magic for audiences around the country.

third stop: Emery sapp & sons

Crystal Bridges

We knew that we had found the right partner for this Industry Tour as soon as we saw this line on Emery Sapp & Sons website: “And we’re not afraid to play as hard as we work. We freaking love what we do and the people we work with shoulder to shoulder.” ESS has been one of the leading infrastructure contractors in the Midwest for over 50 years, and they have no intention of stopping. During this final stop on our tour, ESS staff will discuss how the technology being used in EAST classrooms today aligns with the technology and software their engineers are using on the job site, and how the construction industry isn’t just for hard hats and jackhammers anymore.

Tour Schedule

  • 12:00 - 12:30

    Meet at the Embassy Suites Northwest Arkansas, sign in, get ready to go

  • 12:35 - 12:50

    Travel from Embassy Suites to Crystal Bridges

  • 12:50 - 2:00

    Arrive Crystal Bridges and tour

  • 2:15 - 2:35

    Depart Crystal Bridges for avad3

  • 2:40 - 3:40

    Arrive avad3 and tour

  • 3:45 - 3:55

    Depart avad3 for Emery Sapp & Sons

  • 3:55 - 5:00

    Arrive Emery Sapp & Sons and tour

  • 5:05 - 5:30

    Depart Emery Sapp & Sons for Embassy Suites and end tour

Registration form

Due to Industry Tour requirements, this opportunity is only available to the first 25 facilitators who complete this registration form. Completing this form does not confirm that you have a spot on the tour. EAST will monitor registration forms and will reach out to the first 25 respondents to confirm availability and begin the invoicing process. All other facilitators will be placed on a waiting list (in order of the timestamp date) and EAST will reach out if and when spots become available. Thank you!

About Industry tours

What to Wear?

  • - Casual Seminar attire is completely appropriate for this activity
  • - Tennis shoes (or something comfortable to walk in)

Industry tours can be a great tool for:

  • - Connecting classroom learning with jobs and real-world applications
  • - Educating students on the types of jobs available and the skills needed to be successful in those jobs
  • - Motivating students to increase specific skills in order to pursue a specific career
  • - Better equipping facilitators and students with the knowledge of how science, technology, engineering, math, and troubleshooting are used in the everyday world
  • - Exposing your industry leaders to your EAST programs
  • - Making connections with your community (aka Cash in the Pocket)
  • - Recruiting guest speakers
  • - Sparking project ideas

Where to begin? How to build a relationship with the industry

  • - Remember your “Cash in the Pocket” and determine if any of your students or co-workers have a connection with the industry. If not, do any other connections have connections with the industry? (think 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon). Do you have connections with the local chamber of commerce, city government, port authority, economic development commission, etc?
  • - Communication with the industry may start via e-mail to a General Manager, Plant Manager, Office Manager, or Human Resources Director. If possible, arranging a face-to-face meeting is highly beneficial.
  • - The school administration should be fully involved in the process from the start, as their cooperation will be essential in ensuring that staff have adequate time to prepare for the trip and to arrange for faculty or staff to accompany the students.