By Terrica Hendrix
News-Leader staff
Mineral Springs High School student John Marshall, pictured with MSSD Superintendent Thelma Forte and Rob Plant, has been selected to serve as a photographer for the EAST conference this year.
Marshall will be one of five photographers at the three-day conference which will be held in March in Hot Springs.
Plant, who is the MSSD EAST Initiative Facilitator, said that he and Marshall had to apply for the photographer position last November and they received the acceptance letter in December.
“I feel amazing and I’m confident that I’ll do well at it,” Marshall explained.
“I’m trying not to get a big head about it, but I’m trying to be the best at it and hone my field,” the 11th grade student said.
“This is a huge honor,” Forte began.
“Our EAST program has been on fire the entire year. They have provided training for other schools, and they have some amazing projects on the horizon,” Forte added.
Marshall is also developing a virtual reality program that shows his idea of what the new Mineral Springs school will look like.
He has worked on the 3-D program for three weeks during his EAST class period and has designed the basketball court and a classroom.
His virtual reality design – even in its early stage – rivals professional designers.
Marshall is the son of John and Tammy Marshall of Saratoga.
He is also the school mascot, yearbook staff member, and is a member of the track team.