Skip to main content

EAST Conference 2025

March 18-20, 2025

Logo by Alyssa Jones of
Murfreesboro High School

Leadership Teams

Leadership Team Applications & Facilitator Nomination Forms are due by 3:00 pm CST on Friday, November 15, 2024.

Each year, dozens of students are chosen to help EAST staff host, manage and document EAST Conference. This group of students works together to form the Ambassador Team, the Documentation Team, and the Technical Support Team. This is an excellent opportunity for active EAST students looking to gain practical professional experience and who are interested in becoming more involved with EAST Conference. Programs with Leadership Team members may bring these students to Conference as complimentary full-access participants - in addition to their chosen eight (8) students. Programs are responsible for all travel and lodging expenses for Leadership Team members.

Team Member Requirements & Expectations

The EAST Conference Leadership Teams are vital to the success of EAST Conference. It is crucial that these students attend the entirety of both the Leadership Team Retreat and Conference (from arrival through the Closing Session) and fully participate as Leadership Team members. For this reason, requests to engage as a presenter for the school (i.e., Program Pitches, competition finalist rounds), attend a Breakout Session, or assist with booth setup may not be possible. By submitting the application AND the Facilitator Nomination Form, both the student and facilitator acknowledge that attendance and full participation as a Leadership Team member is required for the duration of EAST Conference. If a student is selected for a team and later realizes that they cannot commit to being at the entire event, they are expected to forfeit their position on the team.

Application Requirements

All students interested in being on a team are required to submit the following:

  1. A separate, completed application for EACH desired position
  2. Any supplemental application requirements (i.e., video, photos, etc.) specific to that position
  3. A signed Parent / Guardian Permission Form
  4. A Facilitator Nomination Form (must be completed and submitted by the facilitator)
  5. A signed Media Release Form, also available in Spanish and Marshallese, while not required for ALL team positions, is preferred because Leadership Team members will have various opportunities to be recognized at EAST Conference

Team Retreat

February 17-18, 2025

Arkansas 4-H Center | The Vines Center | Little Rock, AR
Retreat Info

Ambassador Team

The Ambassador Team consists of students who assist EAST staff in numerous details of a large event, including registration, scanning attendees for Breakout Sessions, greeting VIPs, interacting with the media, and solving problems. Ambassadors are essentially the EAST Conference hosts. They always have smiles on their faces and approach problems with a “can do” attitude. The Team Leader is responsible for maintaining workflow for all team members at EAST Conference. A select number of students will also serve as speakers for the Opening and Closing Sessions.

Click on the positions below to review the specific requirements, required experience, and submission instructions.

Leader Speaker Member

Documentation Team

The Documentation Team consists of four smaller teams - photography, videography, livestream, and social media - who work together to document and provide coverage for EAST Conference. The Team Leader is responsible for maintaining workflow for all team members at EAST Conference. The Videography and Photography Teams capture event highlights that will later be displayed on the EAST Conference website and used as promotional pieces to showcase and celebrate the event. Livestream Camera Operators work with the production company to livestream Opening, Closing, and Breakout Sessions during Conference. The Social Media Team serves as the voice of EAST throughout EAST Conference on social media networks (i.e., Facebook, X, Instagram).

Click on the positions below to review the specific requirements, required experience, and submission instructions.

Leader Video Editor Videographer Livestream Camera Operator Photographer Social Media Reporter

Tech Support Team

The Technical Support Team plays a critical role in helping EAST Conference run smoothly. The Team Leader is responsible for maintaining workflow for all team members at EAST Conference. Team members work closely with the EAST Technical Support Group to assist in the set-up, support, and break-down of equipment in all Breakout Sessions and provide technical support to attendees as needed. This could include establishing networks, providing software support, or troubleshooting hardware found in an EAST environment. Being a part of this team offers a great behind-the-scenes view of what it takes to make Conference a success.

Click on the positions below to review the specific requirements, required experience, and submission instructions.

Leader Member

Leadership Team FAQ

Q: If my student applies for more than one (1) position, do I have to submit multiple facilitator nominations?

A: If the student applies for more than one (1) position within the same team (e.g. Ambassador Team, Documentation Team, Technical Support Team), you do not have to submit multiple facilitator nominations. However, if a student applies for positions on different teams, a unique facilitator nomination for each team is necessary as the overarching responsibilities for each team are incredibly different.

Q: Can students apply for more than one (1) position and/or more than one (1) team?

A: Yes! A few position applications ask if the student would like to be considered for another position on the team if they aren’t selected for the position for which they are applying. For example, applicants for the Ambassador Team Leader or Speaker can check a box that also allows them to be considered for an Ambassador Team Member role. The same goes for the Technical Support Team and the Video Team (Video Editor & Videographer). However, there are a few positions (specifically on the Documentation Team) for which they have to submit completely separate applications because of the type of documentation (videos, photos, etc.) that is required. If students apply - and are selected - for more than one (1) position, we will put them on the team and in the position where we need them most.

Q: Is there a max number of students that can apply and/or be accepted from a single program?

A: Nope! Applying for a Leadership Team position is a great experience and we encourage students to apply. Keep in mind that EAST strives for a diverse representation of schools across all three (3) teams (Ambassador, Documentation, and Technical Support). Some positions are skill based and require the most qualified students (i.e. it’s sometimes harder for us to pick students from different schools for these positions). Many positions are selected through an anonymous review process. Also, this largely depends on how many students apply and from which schools.