The GIS program at Belleville High School (BHS) is changing in all the right ways. Juniors can now sign up to be in the college course for the 2025-2026 school year.
GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is an elective class at BHS that you can now take during the fall of your junior year. Not only is GIS an elective, but it is a college course that you take through Eastern Michigan University. In this course you will learn programming, how to digitize data, and how to collect and compare data on a map. You will also learn and obtain a drone license. The most exciting part is that you get nine college credits that can go to just about any college.
BHS is one of only three schools in Michigan that has the GIS program. Students once or twice a week will engage and learn from a professor from Eastern Michigan University virtually. This year a new part of the curriculum was added; students will now be able to get their FAA part 107 drone license.
At BHS, it had previously been that juniors start the program in the spring and go through the course their senior year and their paid internship in the summer. Now, juniors will start in the fall and be able to do their paid internship during the spring during the school year. That’s right, you can make money in school!
You will also save money by taking the course now in high school rather than waiting; the course at Eastern is completely free, paid entirely by the school. That’s nine college credits for free! Choosing to take these courses in high school you would save $6,437. You heard that right; you can not only make money, but save money while doing so! Additionally, in the 2025-2026 school year, GIS will be on a 5.0 grade scale, similar to BHS’ AP courses. Also GIS will count for your senior math credit.
When asking senior Abdirashiid Ibrahin, who has taken the course since the spring of his junior year, what his biggest take away from GIS is he said,
“I learned to not be afraid to Google things I didn’t know.”
The course challenges and encourages students to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. It teaches students to not give up when they make a mistake but to pick themself up and move forward.
Unfortunately, there are only fifteen spots to sign up for this elective, so be fast! Additionally, you must have at least a 2.5 GPA. If you are interested or are thinking about it, reach out to Mr. Watkins in room 84 for more information!
