GIS 4 Schools LLC

Custom ArcGIS Online Lessons, GPS Training and GeoCache Field Trips,

Minnesota DNR Firewise in the Classroom Project, Conduct over 180 Minnesota school Firewise projects in the last 12 years introducing GIS/GPS technologies to over10,000 students,
West Virginia Firewise in the Classroom Project, Coordinated 5 field trips by Hedgesville H.S. students to conduct Firewise Home Assessments, GIS analysis of Fire Hazards at the Woods Resort in West Virginia
Northwest Hennepin County Human Services Council Demographic Analysis

All GIS 4 Schools lessons are posted on www.gis4schools.org

Require a PC or MAC Lab to teach lessons

ArcGIS Online, AtlasGDS desktop GIS, Minnesota Environmental Atlas, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Exel 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, Microsoft, XP, Windows 7, 8, 10, GPS receivers

Mr. Pekarek is a recipient of the MN GIS/LIS Consortium 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award, 2006 Minnesota Governor's Council Certificate of Commendation, 2013 St. Cloud State University STEM award for his work on MN DNR Firewise in the Classroom, and recipient of the 2015 Minnesota Campus Compact Presidents' Community Partner Award

Minnesota Environmental Atlas, AtlasGDS software, Minnesota Firewise in the Classroom Curriculum,
West Virginia DNR Firewise in the Classroom Curriculum

GeoFest 2016: Easy to Teach ArcGIS Lessons and Resources Minnesota Middle School Association MMSA 2016 and MMSA 2014 : ArcGIS Online Lessons Overview.pdf
Minnesota Council For the Social Sciences MCSS 2014, Mn Science Teachers 2014 conference
Presentation on The Minnesota and West Virginia Firewise in the Classroom Programs at the Backyard and Beyond Firewise conference in Denver of October, 2011.

To encourage teachers to embrace GIS technology and to Inspire students to enjoylearning

Learning should be fun. GIS 4 Schools strives to develop ArcGIS Online lessons that are easy to teach and lessons that inspire students to want to learn.

Minnesota DNR has designated GIS 4 Schools as a sole source provider of Firewise in the Classroom training.
Terry Mallett, of EPCF: GIS 4 Schools :Ken Pekarek, of GIS 4 Schools, has been a consultant to two USFS Firewise grants to West Virginia Firewise in the Classroom Project. Ken should be recognized for both his dedication for the Firewise grants and the many volunteer hours spent over his consulting hours to the Firewise efforts of The Woods Community. Ken has spent an extraordinary amount of time in the research of both content as well as collaborating with Terry Mallett, of EPCF, in the helping to model the basis of the BeingFirewise website: http://beingfirewise.org/education.html

Ken Pekarek founded GIS 4 Schools LLC, in 2005. The company specializes in developing custom training courses for novice GIS users. Ken has over 40 years experience developing easy-to-use mapping systems, developing custom training courses and training non-GIS savvy professionals. For the last thirteen years, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has contracted with GIS 4 Schools to coordinate the Firewise in the Classroom Project. In this role, Mr. Pekarek has introduced GIS/GPS technologies to over 10,000 students and provided on-call mobile technical assistance to teachers implementing the Firewise curriculum.

West Virginia Firewise Project recognized Mr. Pekarek's expertise and contracted with GIS 4 Schools to develop a WV Firewise in the Classroom Project from 2007-2011.

Internet: www.gis4schools.org