SPRINGDALE -- Local immigrants soon will be able to use an interactive online system to find needed services and bus routes.
Environmental And Spatial Technology students at Springdale High School are working with the Cisneros Center for New Americans to create the system. The center is at the Jones Center and focuses on immigrant integration.
Web Watch
To view the online map the Environmental And Spatial Technology students at Springdale High School made for the Springdale Chamber of Commerce, go to: http://eastatshs.co….
To learn more about The Cisneros Center for New Americans, go to: http://www.cisneros….
Gunner George, 17, and Kage Strobel, 17, sat at computers Friday working on the project. George's screen showed a map with markers pointing to locations. He clicked on a location and a box appeared, showing a photo and details about the service.
The map is part of a similar project the students worked on last year for the Springdale Chamber of Commerce. The one for Cisneros will have different sections, said Jennifer Aguirre, American dream fellow with Cisneros. While the chamber's map has city and attraction-based tabs, like outdoors and hotels, the Cisneros map will have resource-based sections, like health and education, Aguirre said.
"It's developing new ways for families to have knowledge about what's around them," Aguirre said.
Cisneros officials hope the system will create easier access to services for immigrant and low-income families, said Jacob Perry, American dream fellow with Cisneros. These groups of people generally have reduced access to resources. They also have different barriers, like language, than non immigrants.
The system could help immigrants integrate easier into the Northwest Arkansas community, Perry said. It also could help them to contribute more and be more involved in American society.
The students also are benefiting from the project by working on coding skills, said Remington Myers, Environmental And Spatial Technology program facilitator at the school.
Strobel said the project is helping him get real-world experience. He also said it 's allowing him to set an example for other students.
George and Strobel are providing Cisneros with knowledge about global information system technology, which they are using to create the map, Aguirre said. Fellows with Cisneros meet with the students about the project every two to three weeks.
"They're phenomenal students," she said. "They've very professional."
The map will display a "comprehensive list" of 75 to 90 services, Aguirre said. They also want it to be easy to use from the Internet on a smart phone.
Community members will be able to find addresses, descriptions of services and website links through the map, George said. It also will be set up so those working on the website can add or subtract elements at any time.
Cisneros officials are providing the students with a spreadsheet of resources, and the students are mapping them along with bus routes, George said.
"It will be half English, half Spanish," he said.
The website won't have Marshallese in the beginning, but they hope to add the language later, Perry said. They are now trying to find a translator.
The system will focus on showing services in Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville, Perry said. It may be expanded in the future to include other cities in Washington and Benton counties.
Myers said they hope for the map to be accessible online sometime in April.
NW News on 03/05/2015