Douglas High School Builds History One Pixel at a Time

Becky Lane’s Computer Studies Classes have incorporated GIS technology in their curriculum for a second year. Last spring students completed a GIS (Geographic Information Systems)  unit during the fourth quarter. Coincidentally, the Rapid City Historical Commission (RCHC) was looking for a way to enhance existing paper tour guides of Rapid City historical buildings in the West Boulevard and Downtown historical districts. Dr. Lee Vierling, a professor at SDSMT and member of the RC Historical Commission, knew Douglas was teaching and working with GIS. It was an ideal application of students’ GIS skills. Participating classes finished their computer studies course by developing an electronic tour of these historical parts of Rapid City. Students used the unique mapping and display capabilities of ArcView GIS software to take a base map of the city and hotlink to it old and new pictures as well as historic narratives of each building. Student took field trips to the historical districts where they took digital photographs and GPS waypoints of each building. Modern photographs from the field trips were hot linked to each address, historic photographs were scanned and linked, and students scoured existing tour guides for historical narrative material to explain each historic building. GPS data was then transferred to the map, exactly locating buildings geographically. 

During the first two weeks of summer, Laci, Dale and Kai received a stipend from the RCHC to prepare the project for presentation. Historic Commission members were thrilled! In October of this current school year the students’ project won a spot at a 5 state showcase featuring outstanding GIS projects by students around the region. Laci and Shannon traveled with their teacher to Bozeman, Montana where they presented to a very GIS-savvy student audience. 

Mrs. Lane offered GIS training to students during second quarter of this school year, and now another group of students are reformatting the historic tour for publication as a user-friendly CD. When this CD is finished, it will be installed in visitor kiosks around the historical district. This is a wonderful example of students tackling a project that ends up not only as a community service, but also generates a marketable product. Look for the new visitor kiosks in the West Boulevard and Downtown Rapid City area this spring. The list of credits on each kiosk will include Douglas High School student authors. A “hats off” salute to Douglas for another job well done!

Students and teacher gratefully acknowledge the coordinated effort required to complete a project of this complexity.  Acquiring the software resources (GIS Software; ArcView) and hardware ( computers, digital cameras, GPS’s), and the training for the teachers was accomplished through the vision of Douglas’ Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Joe Hillberry. Implementation support came from retired teacher, Kelly Lane. DHS library staff supported the effort with equipment and lots of library time.. Dr. Lee Vierling offered DHS the original idea and supplied resources such as historical pictures and funding from the Historical Commission. Becky Lane structured the project and organized field  trips using walking tours written by Norm Nelson; current president of the RCHS. Students have, and still are, giving freely of their time to get this thing finished. And, as usual, Administration and Board support innovation that allows learning activities like this to flourish at Douglas.

          Mrs. Becky Lane's Computer Studies I Classes

                         Phase 1 Summer Volunteers

       Laci         Dale          Kai

                  Presenters at GIS Regional Showcase

Laci,  Shannon,  Mr & Mrs Kelly & Becky Lane

 Chance,  Katie, Melanie,

        Laci,      Heather,     Lisa

        (not pictured: Bobby)