Go out and do an "Esther" today!

Esther Coggin Ash of Pelham, AL, 65, went to her heavenly home peacefully in her home on December 14, 2009 after a valient fight against cancer.  She was preceded in death by her parents Mr. and Mrs. Luther Coggin, Sr.of Mountain Brook.  She is survived by her husband of 43 years, Wayne of Pelham; daughter, Barbaree Ash Duke (John Duke) of Covington, LA; son,  Roumley Ash (Barbara) of Pelham; grandson, Roman Ash; brothers, Luther Wayne Coggin (Helen) of Fairhope, AL, Derrick Coggin (Gail) of Gainesville, GA and  Mark Coggin (Charlotte) of Mountain Brook; and countless "adopted" children and friends around the world whose lives were changed because of her.  With a servant's heart and compassion for all, she invested her life in people who were in need as she shared her faith in Jesus Christ.  The family encourages everyone to pay it forward in her honor.  Go out and do an "Esther"! Be kind, generous, and compassionate to someone that has a need with a smiling face and an open heart.  Funeral Services will be at Elmwood Cemetery on Wednesday at 3pm followed by internment.

Pirates off the port bow! A new GIS activity

We're pleased to announce new additions to the Rural STEM GIS curriculum collection 

(http://www.isat.jmu.edu/stem/curriculum.html):

1.  We've added a new activity on Global Piracy

2.  We've ported all of the activities in the collection to MyWorld (so now you can choose ArcMap, AEJEE or MyWorld versions).

Bob Kolvoord and Barbaree Ash Duke

Bob Kolvoord, Ph.D.

Professor, Integrated Science and Technology and 

Educational Technologies

Co-Director, STEM Education and Outreach Center

James Madison University

MSC 4102

Harrisonburg, VA  22807

+1 540/568-2752 (o)   -2768 (f)

kolvoora@jmu.edu

Does GIS matter?

If you're reading my blog, you know I think GIS matters and has applications across our lives and classrooms, but this fellow does a nice job saying it.  Check out his blog at http://www.vector1media.com/dialogue/perspectives/10372-so-dudedoes-gis-really-matter-anyhowwhy .