Two student teams from iLEAD Academy are heading to the Technology Student Association (TSA) National Conference this summer, using geospatial technology not just to compete, but to confront real issues in their communities.
An all-freshman team of Mia Sams, Jade Taylor, Jocelinne Rodriguez, and Colton Trimble earned third place in the state for their project on hazardous material spills from train derailments. Meanwhile, Matthew Carmack, Deacon Martin and Joey Newell took second place with a detailed wildfire risk analysis of Eastern Kentucky, revealing unexpected vulnerabilities in a region more associated with floods than flames.
Both projects reflect how students are using mapping, data analysis, and creative problem-solving to prepare for the disasters of tomorrow.
The train derailment team decided to focus their geospatial project on something they pass every day: railroad tracks. Their research zeroed in on the dangers of a train derailment involving hazardous materials, especially in a region that has multiple chemical companies.
“We have several railroad tracks we pass on our way to school,” Mia said. “So when we were asked to find a natural and a non-natural disaster that could impact our area, we chose hazardous train derailments.”
Using geospatial tools, the team overlaid rail lines, population density, noise levels, and major highways to create maps identifying evacuation routes, danger zones, and emergency shelter locations. Jade emphasized how visualizing the data helped make their recommendations more practical: “It’s all about maps and collecting data to help the people on those maps.”
Colton developed charts and visuals illustrating the risks, pointing to companies where dangerous chemicals might be coming from. “We wanted to show what that damage could look like,” he said.
The group even interviewed the mayor of Sanders to learn about derailment risks. Mia noted, “Not many young people are going into train operations. Some conductors are still working in poor health. That compounds the risk.”
Jocelinne helped package their research into a compelling tri-fold presentation. “We had to make it not too wordy but still get the point across,” she explained.
Although they missed second place by just one point, the team is proud of what they achieved and already planning how to improve next year’s entry.
In a separate geospatial project, Matthew, Deacon and Joey tackled the natural threat of wildfires in Kentucky. Though most people associate wildfires with the West Coast, Matthew’s research showed that Eastern Kentucky is far more vulnerable than many realize.
“Whenever you think about wildfires in America, you think about California,” he said. “But in Kentucky, the eastern part gets hit the most and no one’s really talking about it.”
Using six layered maps, Matthew identified former coal mining areas as particularly high-risk.
“My running theory is that the pollution left behind from coal mines helps fuel the fires,” he said. He also found that natural buffers like mountains and rivers shield western Kentucky, while the east remains exposed to the threat of wildfires.
Matthew proposed mitigation strategies like clearing forest debris and creating fire breaks. And he has a track record of accurate predictions:he came within five miles of the recent wildfires to ravage Los Angeles with a model he created for a different project.