4-H Club members in Beau-fort County recently partici-pated in a two month long project to map the mines and related sites connected to phosphate mines in Beaufort County.

County Agent Beverley Con-nelly explained that not only did the project give the 4-H members a since of the county and their surroundings it helped spark an interest in the history of Beaufort County. Youth learned about the eco-nomic impact the mines have had on the life of people in Beaufort over time.

By using GPS / GIS technol-ogy the youth made maps on what they found. “But, they also found that the technology itself was something fascinat-ing to them,” explains Connelly. “People with skills to use this technology are becoming more and more in demand. This is a growth

career area,” she said.

“There are youth from Navy, Marine and civilian families involved in our 4-H Clubs. Through Operation Military Kids we are reaching out to children of Guard and Reserve families also to give them edu-cational, recreational and social support during the deployment of a family member. Our Technology Club and the use of the state Mobile Technology Lab is one way we have done this,” Ms, Con-nelly added.

Beaufort County 4-H members plot

waypoints of phosphate mines, in Beaufort County.

Mine Our 4-H Business

Historic Graveyards (4-H influences respect) When Janielle Samuel , 4-H Wizards President, first thought of using GPS/ GIS to mark and map the locations of historic graveyards she had no idea what she was about to find. At one forgotten site in Shannontown, on the east side of South Sumter, there is an old graveyard. Stones are cracked and crumbled. “No

one really knows if it is the property of a church or maybe owned by a family,” she said. After discovering the grave of a World War One veteran so unkept, it was diffi-cult to spot among the grown up shrubs and weeds, Ms. Sam-uel found out the Shannon-town Association had recently been given the responsibility of

the graveyard upkeep by the City of Sumter. After discus-sions with the Association President, plans have been made for the 4-H Wizards to help keep the historic site well groomed and maintained. “In this graveyard are people that fought to protect our free-doms, they deserve proper respect,” said Ms. Samuel.

4-H and GPS/GIS

Mapping Mines 1

Graveyards 1

San Diego Trip 2

OMK MTL 2

Young Leaders 4-H

Need Your Help GIS

Volunteer Now! & U

JANUARY 2006

Special points of interest:

• Sumter 4-H Wizards get ESRI Grant (2004)

• GIS Partner with Shaw 4-H

• Ft Jackson 4-H gets ESRI Grant (2005)

• Beaufort 4-H (GPS/GIS)Technology Club use MTL

• Charleston 4-H Club (Members attend Arkansas Technology Training Camp)

Clemson University

Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin,

disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status and

is an equal opportunity employer.

At the turn of the century 4-H helped American farmers learn how to

grow more productive crops to feed our nation. Now we can feed the world! We

believe 4-H youth can now help America grow through technology. Our youth

learn technology quick. They can teach others—young and old. Through 4-H,

Project Spirit (an intergenerational service learning project), the South Carolina

Children, Youth and Families At Risk- New Communities effort, Operation Military

Kids, 4-H Military Support projects, the ESRI 4-H GIS grants, and with the help of

knowledgeable, caring adults, (like you) these Community Youth Development

efforts can make a difference throughout South Carolina, and our youth can learn

valuable skills for the future. Please consider helping start a 4-H Club in your area

to teach youth GPS/GIS skills. Once mastered, our 4-H youth can use these GPS/

GIS skills with guided service learning projects to make a positive difference in

communities all over South Carolina.

(Service Learning is a means for participants to learn valuable skills and

knowledge while they are doing service to their community. Responding to real

community needs, participants prepare, then act and then reflect on their efforts

in order to plan for more impact and to assess what was learned. Then they cele-

brate their achievements!) See www.sccyd4h.org for more information.

is there for 4-H GIS Clubs in all 46 counties.

“4-H youth can use GIS technology to help tell the story they want told. Maybe, they are interested in where their pets would be safe if a bad hurricane hit South Carolina. Maybe, they want to show that their community needs more recreation opportunities for youth. Maybe, they want to show where dilapidated building are located in their town. “

“ I would like to see intergenera-tional teams of 4-H youth and adults working together to make their community a better place; and I believe GPS/GIS technology is a tool to help them do that," said Barbara Brown, OMK State Director and the CYFAR New Communities Director.

(Brown is a County Community Development Agent in Sumter County and is a part of the Clemson Institute for Economic and Commu-nity Development, located at Sandhill in Columbia.)

The past two years 4-H youth had the opportunity to present at the ESRI confer-ence in San Diego. They became know as the “blue shirts” - sporting their “Tech Team” shirts everywhere they went. 4-H GPS/GIS Tech Teams across South Caro-lina are involved in numerous projects with more on the horizons.

Shaw AFB 4-H youth are mapping red-headed woodpeckers’ habitats. Ft. Jackson has been working on mapping where the fire hydrants are on the installation. Beaufort 4-H has several projects under-way and others being planned. One pro-ject mapped the phosphate mines in the county. Sumter 4-H Wizards has been mapping historic graveyards. Another pro-ject being planned is to map the locations of alcohol and cigarette advertisements. The 4-H Wizards’ parent organization, the Sumter Citizen’s Coalition, think “the media” is responsible for some of the drug abuse in the county.

With the use of the Mobile Technology Lab, furnished by the US Army in support of Operation Military Kids, the opportunity

Jonathan Hill & Chris Guinn presenting at the ESRI International User Conference.

ESRI USER CONFERENCE, SAN DIEGO 2004 &2005

Contacts: Barbara Brown, babrwn@clemson.edu

Beverley Connelly, bconnel@clemson.edu Bob Spalding, bspldng@clemson.edu

The Operation Military Kids (OMK) Mobile Technology Lab, provided by our US Army OMK national partner to support the children and families of Guard and Reserve solders, is available.. GIS too.

With your help we can encourage 4-H Clubs in all 46 counties to get

ESRI GIS software grants.

4 - H

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY

4-H & GPS/GIS

& U N 2006