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This summer, Azia Ackerson is doing something different. Ackerson and 12 of her
peers are part of the PR1 Youth Corp., a mapping team that has received
attention for using technology to address problem areas Palm River Community.
Beginning this summer, with funding and support by Bank of America and the
Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners, 13 Youth Corp. kids received
handheld PDA’s and software to mark and map trash sites, hang out sites and
areas of flooding.
“We’re teaching technology to these kids while still providing useful
information to the Planning Commission and the Community. We wanted to make sure
there was a youth component and that they play and active role in this Community
planning process,” said Natalie Clamp, instructor for the PR1 Youth Corp.
Their work was performed mostly at the POINT office where the kids worked to
identify the locations they would canvas with the POINT staff. Armed with their
PDA’s, the students walked around the neighborhood identifying their locations
and would mark them using a mapping program to produce images of the
corresponding locations. These maps will eventually be presented to residents,
members of the Advisory Committee and County officials so they can use this
information for the ongoing Community planning process for the Palm River area.
The POINT’s future plans include continuing the PR1 Youth Corp. program from
year to year and perhaps long term, bringing the program to other communities.
For more information about the PR1 Youth Corp. contact Natalie Clamp at the
POINT office. |
