Highlights from the GIS Pathways Program in Detroit, MI
Story by Frank Romo & RomoGIS Enterprises
September 12, 2024
About GIS Pathways
The Frederick Douglass Academy @Northern, a nationally recognized NAF Distinguished School, is renowned for its career-focused teaching and interactive work-based learning experiences. The GIS Pathways Program increases access to tech innovation by training 9th to 12th-grade students with the practical skills of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and drone technologies. The program aims to inspire students to pursue further education and careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, while emphasizing the importance of becoming good leaders that leverage technology in solving community challenges and contributing to social good.
GIS & Drone Summer Camp
The 4th annual GIS & Drone Summer Camp offered students an opportunity to explore innovative geospatial technologies, develop their professional skills, and grow their confidence as leaders. Over the three-day camp, students learned to fly drones, create digital maps, and perform geospatial analysis while applying their local expertise. They also improved their public speaking skills and networked with industry professionals, preparing them as future leaders in the technology industry.
Day 1 - Intros & Mapping Tools
Lead Instructor Chad Segrist kicked off the day by welcoming the students and congratulating them on their initiative to improve themselves by joining the camp. He also challenged students to use their time at the camp to set a higher standard for themselves as leaders in their community. Our GIS Ambassadors then shared their personal experiences, highlighting the benefits of participating in the GIS Pathways program.
Frank Romo , CEO of RomoGIS Enterprises, then invited each student to introduce themselves and practice their public speaking skills. Encouraging advice from peers like Marquise McNeil, Deandre Jones , David Lockhart , and Aarion L. set a positive tone for the day.
“Speak up so you don’t regret missing out on opportunities.” - Marquise McNeil
“You are the author of your story. No one else can talk about your work and experience better than you. Use your voice.” -DeAnthony Neal, GIS Pathways Alumni
Following these introductions, Frank Romo and the RomoGIS team led a mental mapping exercise, encouraging creativity and discussions about the importance of students' hand-drawn maps. This activity enhanced students' critical thinking and public speaking skills as some of them shared their experiences of navigating the city bus system, discussed key environmental challenges in their communities, and how they could use mapping to help address those issues.
After lunch, community partner Matthew Czaja from Seiler Instrument & Mfg. Co. Inc. presented relatable examples of geography and led an exciting bipod racing activity, giving students hands-on experience with professional surveying equipment.
The team from OHM Advisors then introduced drone technologies as impactful data collection tools. The day concluded with GIS ambassadors and Lead Drone Instructor Ray Lillibridge training new students on performing safety checks and flying drones. Our GIS Ambassadors did a great job helping students fly drones for the first time!
Day 2 - Skills Practice
Day 2 was another fun and educational day for students at the GIS & Drone Summer Camp in Detroit, Michigan. The day began with Frank Romo and the RomoGIS team teaching students about Esri ArcGIS Online. Students then built interactive community maps, strengthening their understanding of GIS and learning how to highlight data effectively. The session emphasized the importance of critical thinking in map-making and using GIS mapping for positive community impact.
The students' favorite event, the Geocaching scavenger hunt, followed. The students enjoyed collecting points around the school by leveraging Esri's professional Field Maps application on their phones. It was great seeing students help each other find the last hidden items to complete the geocaching challenge!
Students then practiced flying drones and participated in the Drone Obstacle Course Championship. Students had fun racing their drones and cheering each other on. The championship's final bracket saw David Lockhart , a fourth-year GIS Ambassador, narrowly defeating first-year attendee Caleb Potts. Not only was this a thrilling event, but it also helped students gain familiarity with flying drones. This practice is important preparation for the FAA Part 107 Exam to earn a Remote Pilot Certificate, which is another benefit of the GIS Pathways program for our junior and senior students.
Winners of the bipod races, geocaching scavenger hunt, and drone obstacle course received gift cards and swag from community partners including OHM Advisors , Eos Positioning Systems, Inc.® (Eos) and Seiler Instrument & Mfg. Co. Inc.
After lunch, presentations from the City of Detroit community partners Djennin
Casab and Martin DeNicolo emphasized the importance of open data for GIS mapping and encouraged students to practice their public speaking skills as they engaged in the conversation. The Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT), including Tamara Fant and Ted Schultz , then gave a presentation on the innovative Detroit Street View program and ended the day with having students check out the LiDAR & 360 Imagery vehicle.
Day two was another great success where students were able to showcase their skills of leveraging GIS for social good, learn from industry professionals, and develop new professional relationships with City of Detroit leaders.
Day 3 - Drones & Maps Showcase
Day 3 of the GIS & Drone Summer Camp at the FDA GIS Pathways Program was a remarkable culmination of the week. Frank Romo and the RomoGIS team continued educating students on leveraging GIS for social change. Many students created their first online maps, replicating their mental maps from the first day and adding data layers to better understand their communities. Using strategies that they learned through the camp, some students used open data portals and ArcGIS Online data layers to build their maps, while other students even created their own data layers.
Students then showcased their drone skills to family and community members. The students' excitement was inspiring to see and sparked discussions about the benefits of attending Frederick Douglass Academy @Northern. Positive feedback from family members highlighted the summer camp's impact, with new students committing to enroll in the GIS Pathways program for the upcoming academic year!
The camp concluded with students presenting their interactive maps to peers, family members, and community leaders. This opportunity demonstrated their growth in confidence, GIS skills, and public speaking. Students knocked their presentations out of the park! The maps showcased various urban analyses, from public transportation routes to healthcare coverage, public safety, and food access.
An awards ceremony celebrated the students' achievements, followed by a taco bar shared with family members and friends. We are so proud of the phenomenal personal growth by all of our students and the high quality maps they produced while working at the GIS & Drone Summer Camp.
Empowering Young Tech Leaders
Over the three days, students gained invaluable skills in GIS and drone technology, empowering them with the confidence, critical thinking skills, and innovative tools to analyze, visualize, and address real-world issues. They have also learned to navigate and interpret geospatial data, operate drones with precision, and apply these technologies to projects that have the potential to benefit their communities. The practical experience and knowledge gained during this camp will undoubtedly serve as a strong foundation for their future academic and professional endeavors, especially as community tech leaders.
The GIS Pathways’ GIS & Drone Summer Camp demonstrated the transformative power of technology in the hands of our future leaders.
Thank You!
A special thank you goes out to the family members for their unwavering support and encouragement of our students, which plays a crucial role in making this program a great success!
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of the students for their enthusiastic participation throughout the camp. Your dedication and eagerness to learn have been truly inspiring. A shoutout goes to our GIS Ambassadors for their impactful leadership: Marquise McNeil , Deandre Jones , David Lockhart , Aarion L. , Terry Shoate, and Joel Johnson.
A big thanks to our advisory board and our industry partners who continue to support our students and continue to make this program possible: Chad Segrist , Larry Davis , Principal Dr. Willie L. White II, Frank Romo , RomoGIS Enterprises, Christian Robles , OHM Advisors , Michael Cousins, GISP , Ray Lillibridge , Vincenzio Glenn , Matthew Czaja , Seiler Instrument & Mfg. Co. Inc. , Detroit Public Schools Community District , NAF , The Ballmer Group , Carmen G. , Turner Construction , Eastern Michigan University , Eos Positioning Systems, Inc.® (Eos) , SpatialGIS , AirSpace Link , MiSTEM Network , Southeast Michigan Stewardship Coalition , Square One Education Network , & City of Detroit.
Looking Ahead
We are looking to gain more support while we build new collaborations and partnerships that will help provide greater opportunities for our students to grow as leaders. Please help us expand our impact of empowering the next generation of tech leaders by making a donation to the GIS Pathways Program here . Your generosity will help to continue investing in the growth of our students by providing continued access to GIS Education and Career Development, including college credits through Eastern Michigan University.
If you would like to get involved or learn more about the program, please contact Frank Romo at contact@frankromo.com or email gispathways@gmail.com .
GIS Pathways Program: https://bit.ly/FDA-GIS
DONATE HERE: https://bit.ly/FUNDFDAGIS
Principal : Dr. Willie L. White II
GIS Pathways Lead Instructor: Chad Segrist
Dean of Students: Lawrence Davis
Advisory Board President: Frank Romo
Advisory Board Vice President: Michael Cousins
Lead Drone Instructor: Ray Lillibridge
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