Abstract
Creating Safe Communities through GIS Training in Schools
Track: Teaching with GIS in Schools
Author
Mayor's Youth Technology Corps (MYTC) offers a collaboration of resources and opportunities for strengthening STEM education efforts. 51 and 54 students from Detroit Public Schools (DPS) have been trained in GIS and information insurance in Summer 2008 and 2009, respectively. About 80 students continue their GIS training at 4 DPS training sites. More significantly, 41 students were awarded paid internships and worked at 9 City of Detroit departments for 120 hours (for instance, 10 GIS interns working in Detroit Water & Sewerage Department alone). 59 more students will be awarded paid internships in the coming year. MYTC students are trained to use GIS in emergency responses, creating maps to identify transportation and public access routes for critical facilities and making evacuation plans for multiple story buildings. This presentation will spotlight successful GIS projects MYTC students accomplished in their internship assignments and their significance impacting community attitudes towards GIS education.
Yichun Xie
Eastern Michigan University
205 Strong Hall
Department of Geography & Geology
Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197
United States
Phone: (734) 487-0218
E-mail: yxie@emich.edu