Abstract

To Map or Not to Map - Lessons Learned!
Track: Community Projects and Partnerships
Authors: Debbie Stevens

We have GIS software! We have GPS equipment! We have community partners! We have a project! Oops. Do we have the know-how to DO this project? Join us for a presentation on how to choose a project commensurate with the level of experience, time, and resources of a youth mapping team. Southeast Area Tech Team (Iowa) 4-H youth and the adult team leader will touch on several questions you might ask before you commit to a community mapping project - especially when first starting out with geospatial technology. A simple checklist, project planning tips, and expert mentors may mean the difference in a project that frustrates and fails, or a project that satisfies and succeeds. Potential outcomes for youth with successful community mapping projects include service learning, personal skill development, networking, improved communication skills, and leadership development.