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EAST Conference 2025

March 18-20, 2025

Logo by Alyssa Jones of
Murfreesboro High School

Conference Showcase

The Conference Showcase is an opportunity to present and celebrate an EAST program’s work over the past year.

School Booth

The booth design should represent the entire EAST program without focusing on one specific project. It is a creative tool to display information that supports the projects taking place in EAST. Schools within the same district may create a “SuperBooth,” provided a request is received in advance.

Items provided at the Convention Center

  • 10'x10' booth SPACE (includes 8' back drape and 3' side drapes)
  • 6' skirted table
  • 2 chairs
  • 1 electrical outlet
  • Name card with the school's full name printed as it appears on the EAST website

Booth Assignments & Requests

Booth assignments are announced within a few weeks of the event. Special requests can be made, but not all accommodations are guaranteed. Requests to have a booth located in a specific area (e.g., near the entrance, the end of an aisle, etc) will NOT be considered.

The following requests will be considered:

  • Removal of the table, tablecloth, and/or chairs

  • Placement of booth next to another EAST program’s booth

    • Unless requested otherwise, booths are organized alphabetically by school district
  • SuperBooths (i.e., drape removed between multiple booths to create one large booth)

Submit booth requests by 3 pm CST on February 14, 2025. Any requests after this date must be made on-site. Any on-site booth changes (e.g., removal of table, chairs, etc) must be completed by the booth company which may incur a fee.

Booth Request Form

Booth Guidelines and Booth Assessment Rubric

Review the guidelines in reference to the Booth Assessment Rubric. These guidelines are required for all EAST programs and are considered in the overall booth assessment.

  • Full school name must be in the booth (as listed on the EAST website)
  • Use of the EAST Conference theme is encouraged but not required in the booth design.
  • The design should fit in a 10’ x 10’ space and not exceed 10' tall (2' above the back drape provided at the Convention Center).
  • The booth should not interfere with or distract from neighboring booths at the Convention Center.
  • Display a minimum of 5 projects (excluding fundraisers & awareness) that provide a solid representation of your EAST. More are encouraged! Project lists alone do not suffice.
  • Projects do not have to be complete, but they should be beyond the “We’re thinking about doing this…” phase.
  • Booths should be easily accessible for all individuals, including those with visibility or mobility impairments (i.e., wheelchairs, canes, crutches, etc.).
  • If individuals cannot enter your booth, ensure all booth items (i.e., photos, posters, technology, etc.) are easily visible.
  • Do not alter the booth structure (black drapes or bars) or attach anything to the booth drapes using straight pins, hot glue, etc.
  • Do not solicit donations - this is not the time or the place.
  • Practice setting up the booth and test its steadiness prior to arrival at the Convention Center.
Booth Rubric

Food and Beverage Distribution from Booth

  • Food items, especially those similar to those available at the concession stand, may not be distributed from school booths.
  • Small, individually wrapped candies and sample-sized food items may be given out if approved prior to Conference.
  • Use the form below to request food distribution approval.
  • The deadline for submitting the food distribution request form is 3 pm on Thursday, February 27, 2025.
  • Note: Food items exclusively for the program’s Conference Team may be stored under a table in the booth. However, all food should be taken to the lobby for consumption.
Food Distribution Request Form

Booth Setup & Breakdown Times

Setup: EAST programs have approximately 2 hours to unload and set up the booth - 1 hour during the assigned Arrival Group time and from 4:00 - 5:00 pm. All technology must be turned off when the Exhibit Hall closes

Breakdown: Empty or partly torn-down booths do not demonstrate the professional atmosphere that is the hallmark of the EAST Conference. Therefore, booth breakdown is to occur AFTER the Exhibit Hall closes (11:30 am) on Thursday, March 20. Schools may start breaking down and packing up their booth materials at this time and may begin removing items from the Exhibit Hall. The loading dock doors will remain closed until after the Closing Session. There will be plenty of time after the Closing Session if your program would rather use this time to grab lunch or a snack. All programs are still expected to attend the Closing Session at 1:00 pm. Attempting to break down early and/or failing to attend the Closing Session will be noted on the Conference Showcase Recap and will impact future opportunities in EAST, including Program of Influence award status. Please make accommodations with your district ahead of time to attend the entire event. A school needing to leave early to return the bus for other uses is not an acceptable excuse.

Recommended Items to Bring

  • Standard Hand Tools (hammer, screwdriver, pliers, etc.)
  • Multiple Computers (at least one backup)
  • Extension Cords and Power Strips
  • Handout Materials (.e.g., brochures, business cards, etc.)

Do Not Bring

  • All paint (including spray paint) is prohibited in the Convention Center (including the hotels and parking lots). Complete all touch-up work before EAST Conference.
  • Power tools may not be used to assemble your booth at EAST Conference. Use a standard screwdriver, pliers, or hammer if needed.
  • Balloons of any kind are strictly prohibited.
  • Music devices (e.g., iPods, instruments, etc.) are not permitted in the booth unless it is part of a student-created project and the volume is kept low. Headphones are recommended to ensure the person's ability to hear the content.
  • Gaming Devices.
  • Blow torches or any open flame.
  • Tents or canopies.
  • Fog Machines.

Program Pitch

The Program Pitch is a presentation that provides the viewers with an overall picture of the accomplishments of the EAST program. While the pitch is given verbally, the presenting students are encouraged to use items displayed in their booth for visual impact and evidence. A student team (2-3 recommended) will present a short formal program pitch highlighting the work of their program. A panel of judges, composed of EAST facilitators, EAST administrators, and friends of EAST, will view the presentations and provide useful, practical feedback for each EAST program.

The Program Pitch should convey a thorough picture of the EAST program, including the effectiveness of teamwork, collaboration with community clients/partners, and evidence of sophisticated project development and use of technology.

Time

Each student team will have 10 minutes with the judges. The pitch is recommended to be 5-7 minutes, and the remaining time is used for questions and answers (Q&A) from the judges. If the presenter(s) feels confident all information has been shared before the 10-minute limit concludes, the judges may continue to the next booth.

2025 Booth Numbers & Judging Times

Be Considerate/Quiet Zone

Presenting on behalf of your program in front of judges is critical. To give every team the best opportunity to shine, please help provide the best possible environment for judging.

  • Give the student presentation team plenty of time to themselves in the booth to practice.
  • Ask parents, other students, administrators, and facilitators not to “hover” around the booth during the presentation. It distracts the students and judges.
  • No videotaping or photographing the presentation. It can be intimidating and is not permitted.
  • Be mindful of where the judges are in your aisle. If they are nearby, keep conversation, noise, and distractions to a minimum. Your team deserves this respect, so please give it to others.
  • A Quiet Zone will be implemented during the Conference Showcase on Wednesday. Music or sound is ONLY allowed if you are presenting to the judges. If displaying projects with sound during this time, please provide headphones to your visitors.

Creating an Effective Pitch

The key to an effective program pitch is to provide evidence in both your pitch and booth design that your EAST program is striving to accomplish the goals and standards of EAST. Evidence can include reference letters from clients/partners, press releases, newsletter articles, photos, videos, posters, project plans or summaries, examples of technology skills, problem-solving strategies, project binders, awards received, student testimonials, and any other elements which demonstrate the impact of your program.

Program Pitch Guidelines & Questions to Consider Suggestions for an Effective Pitch

Judges Considerations

The judges will evaluate the pitch, including the effectiveness of the students’ presentation skills. They will consider confidence, relevance, and knowledge of the information being presented and the overall quality of the delivery.

The judges will be using the CART model for projects, as well as the growth model, as guides. Pitches should communicate these areas but without drawing obvious attraction. The pitch should flow seamlessly through the processes as students illustrate details of the projects and student engagement.

EAST Conference Showcase Presentation Feedback

The judges will provide feedback to the programs they review in the following areas:

  • Booth design based on the rubric
  • Positive project observations
  • Practical project advice
  • Notes on the Program Pitch presentation

Judges' Choice Awards

Each group of judges will review several programs. Each group of judges will have the opportunity to select one of the programs they viewed for their Judges' Choice Award. The judges will be given no set criteria. They will only be told to select the school that impressed them the most. Recipients will be announced during the Closing Session.