Fun with GIS 330: The 2024 ArcGIS Online Competition for US Schools
The 2024 ArcGIS Online Competition for US High School and Middle School Students begins today, presented by Esri and a new partner, the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE).
The event is a chance for students in grades 4-8 (MS) and 9-12 (HS) to investigate, analyze, and present about a topic of their interest from within their state. They use their own curiosity and gumption to build background knowledge, research skills, geographic perspective, GIS expertise, and presentation experience in working on a matter of their choice. It's a chance for students to show what they can do.
Over the years, we have seen investigations of invasive species, historic treasures, patterns of the past as they play out today, safety hazards, delightful libraries, current social problems, and a host of other fascinating subjects through the creative and powerful minds of young learners. State awardees (up to 5 HS and 5 MS projects) earn $100 and a place on the national map, and state winners are entered into a national contest.
Every state can participate but must have a formal leadership team in place. The demands on the leadership team have shrunk, thanks to NCGE (see the "Rules" page). Student entries must be in the form of ArcGIS StoryMaps, hosted in an ArcGIS Online Organization within an ArcGIS School Bundle. Esri makes these available to K12 schools, districts, and clubs at no cost for instructional use.
GIS professionals, college instructors, grad students, education leaders, teachers, club leaders, parents, and community can all play a role in supporting this event. See how in a webinar from Directions Magazine. Help students see what's possible and show what they can do! (And if you or they are just getting started, that’s no problem; check out National Geographic MapMaker, and build from there!)
Changes in the 2024 event from previous years, all visible more fully in the Rules page of the website:
- National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) is a formal partner
- States are no longer responsible for managing funds
- State leaders must be over 18; this was expected previously, but now stated explicitly
- Student projects must come from within an ArcGIS School Bundle license; this was expected previously but now an explicit requirement in order to protect student data privacy and avoid license confusion.
- Students residing in one state but attending school in another are eligible if and only if the school's state is participating; this was expected previously but now explicitly stated to avoid confusion.
- "Current original work by the students" was stated previously but is now spelled out more carefully to underscore work in the current academic year and to disallow use of generative artificial intelligence.
- The process for generating short URLs is spelled out more carefully.
- A calendar is added to the Rules page.