ANNUAL REPORT 2008 - Jackson School of Geosciences - The ...

GeoFORCE Annual Report 2008
12th Grade Southwest Academy
This is a milestone year for the GeoFORCE
Southwest program. The summer of 2008
marks the completion of the inaugural cohort
through an entire, four-year cycle of Geo-
FORCE summer activities. Of the original
40 students selected in 2005 to attend the
GeoFORCE Southwest program, 39 students
remain. The 40th slot was filled in 2006 by an
outstanding Young Geoscientist student. This
year 42 students participated in the academy.
The 12th grade academy represents 12 of the
18 participating school districts.
Each student has exhibited outstanding performance
in their high school classes, completed
all GeoFORCE assignments, and participated
fully in the all of the lectures, hands-on activities,
and field experiences. They should be
commended for their sustained and continuing
effort. The 12th grade students have provided
essential feedback to the coordinating staff,
helping evolve the program to the rewarding
experience it is today.
These students have become GeoFORCE
advocates and have assisted the program by
presenting to the 9th grade academy at orientation
and assisting in the application process
by describing their GeoFORCE experience to
applying 8th graders. Proof that GeoFORCE
has successfully engaged the community is
Locations in Florida
evidenced by the high retention rate as well
as their friends and family members who are
involved with the program. For four years,
family and friends numbering in the hundreds
have attended the closing ceremonies and they
continue to encourage their students.
The 12th grade academy spent 6 days in
Florida, including a day at Disney’s Epcot Center.
In their final summer, the students engaged
in geology-based projects that included beach
profiling, mapping, measuring, and digging. All
of the geology learned from the pervious three
years is reinforced through hands-on activities
allowing the students to practice what they
learned in the field.
Though the GeoFORCE summer activities
have come to an end for these students,
GeoFORCE staff will continue to work with
them throughout their senior year. We will
mentor them through the college application
process and other post-secondary opportunities.
The College Admissions and Financial Aid
presentation this fall will mark the beginning of
our efforts to prepare the students for college
with much more to come. GeoFORCE will be
tracking them through the college application
process and the start of their college career.
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Pennekamp Coral Reef glassbottomed
boat, Key Largo
Windley Key Fossilized Coral Reef,
Islamorada
Snake Creek Pass, Islamorada
Shark Valley, Everglades
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Everglades City
Lover’s Key State Park, Ft. Myers
Tiitusville: Canaveral Seashores,
Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, Sea
Turtle nesting watch
Epcot Center, Orlando
Geology Learned
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Carbonate rocks and reefs
Highstand, lowstand
Rock record
Shelf
Siliciclastic
Beach, backbeach
Beach renourishment
Berm, dune, swash zone
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Barrier flat, spit, island
Longshore drift and current
Washover, channel, fan
Storm surge
Unconformity
Ocean currents
Active/passive remote sensing
Electromagnetic spectrum
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