The Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library piloted a 7-week geospatial mapping program for Boston Public high school students through the Private Industry Council (PIC). Students were paid for their work through PIC. 

We just completed the program this winter/spring 2023 and are planning to run another in early 2024. Students learned to map data in ArcGIS online and created maps that told different stories about public transportation in Boston that will be part of an exhibition here at the BPL this fall.

We have been working to create pathways for students interested in pursuing GIS careers and are looking for job and paid internship opportunities for high school students in the Boston area. When students complete the program with us, our hope is to already have several job opportunities lined up for the summer of 2024 they can apply for where they can gain further skills. We have one position with the Boston Public Health Commission and are hoping for more! Long-term, our hope is that Boston Public school students who are interested in working with GIS will also go on to higher education programs in the Boston area with scholarships but this is longer term dreaming.

Do you have capacity in your Boston-area organization to take on a high school student with some basic GIS experience? We'd love to talk with you!

Michelle LeBlanc

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617-859-2294