The Star
WATERLOO — DeKalb High School New Tech World Bio freshmen were named winners the 2018 Indiana ArcGIS Online Competition, Place Matters: Exploring Hoosier Communities in Story Maps.
Students explored how people and places start primary and become extraordinary. Groups chose topics that spotlighted characteristics of Indiana world geography and/or biology. Creating digital story maps using ESRI ArcGIS software, the students conveyed research with written material and digital maps. Students were mentored by and collaborated with local GIS professionals Matt Bechdol and Dawn Mason.
Winning groups explored a wide variety of topics from Indiana basketball and diminishing bee populations to Indiana bats and the history of Indiana vice presidents.
The Geography Educators’ Network of Indiana (GENI) hosted the statewide competition and awarded $100 Amazon gift cards to each group.
The state finalists are entered into the national ArcGIS Online US School Competition. National winners are announced on June 4 and earn a travel grant to attend the ESRI Education GIS Conference in San Diego, California.