USGIF to Provide GEOINT 101 Presentation to Elementary School Students

Herndon, Virginia (Nov. 9, 2016)—The United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) created a “GEOINT 101” presentation to share with 50 fifth grade students at Moorefield Station Elementary School in Ashburn, Va., Nov. 16 in celebration of international GIS Day.

GIS Day occurs annually during Geography Awareness Week and promotes geography and spatial thinking skills to people of all ages. The Nov. 16 presentation is part of USGIF’s overall efforts to advance awareness of and interest in GEOINT among K-12 classrooms.

“USGIF is dedicated to providing education, training, and professional development opportunities regarding the GEOINT tradecraft, spanning from K-12 through retirement,” said Keith Masback, USGIF CEO. “Our goal for K-12 students is to develop general awareness of GEOINT and the role it plays in their everyday lives, as well as the myriad career opportunities the field offers."

The Foundation worked with DigitalGlobe to develop this iteration of GEOINT 101, which is intended for grades five through eight. The presentation, which will be given by USGIF staff, provides a basic overview of GEOINT to include the discipline’s history, tools and platforms used to collect data, and potential career paths. Additionally, USGIF staff will lead students in fun and interactive activities to help them learn basic geospatial concepts and gain an understanding of what professional GEOINT analysts do on a daily basis.

“GIS Day at Moorefield Station Elementary is a continuation of the partnership USGIF has established with the school,” said Justin Franz, USGIF’s volunteer engagement manager. “The Foundation is thrilled to visit the students on GIS Day and get them excited at an early age about STEM topics—particularly GEOINT and the many possibilities it offers for their future careers.”

USGIF is also working with a USGIF Individual Member who has volunteered to present GEOINT 101 to students at Daniel Boone Elementary School in Wentzville, Mo.

USGIF hopes GIS Day GEOINT 101 presentations will become an annual event in which volunteers bring the presentation to more schools nationwide. Additionally, USGIF will participate in George Mason University’s GIS Day event Nov. 16 in Fairfax, Va.

Learn more about USGIF’s GIS Day events.