TrigStar> Need Sarasota County FL surveyor

I'll contact my friend who is with FSMS.

Andy

Thanks Andy...

TrigStar> In General

I received a response back from the FSMS that they have slashed funding for the TrigStar program because not enough students were pursuing a land surveying and mapping career.

I feel that's a little short sighted on their part.

Does everyone think that TrigStar is solely to promote and encourage students to pursue a career? Am I the only one that finds a benefit in educating students about the profession in order that they are more familiar with what we do, instead of actively promoting a career?

What is going on in your state?

Thanks again,
Don

TrigStar> In General

Participation is hit and miss here. My local society chapter covers two counties; one school system wants nothing to do with the exam, the other has mandated that all trig students take the test for the last three years.

The results have been discouraging. Each year the scores get lower, the number of students that don't even try to complete the exam increases, and this year one kid handed in a blank test that he wrote this on: "I'm going to get an A in trig whether I take this test or not, but I was pulled out of a physics class that I'm struggling in and need to study for to take a test that doesn't matter - thanks a lot." (actually I'd probably hire that kid over the winner)

Another problem we have is with the prizes provided for the individual school and county winner. We have to chip in hundreds of dollars from our chapter treasury just so we're not embarrassed on awards day when the Rotary and other service associations are throwing around thousands of dollars in every school.

I'm all for trying to educate the public about what we do, but it's a tricky area when you take it on yourself to "educate" someone that hasn't asked for an education, it can very easily come off as self-serving

In addition, I'm not sure a trigonometry exam for high school students is the best allocation of resources for educating the public (or whether a math exam doesn't actually work against us, make it look like a few measurements plugged into a few formulas to spit out a solution is what a professional land surveyor does). I'd rather see the time and money allocated to TrigStar by the state and national associations used to prepare standardized speakers kits and presentations for surveyors to use at service association meetings, realtors association meetings, state land title association meetings, local land use group meetings, etc.

TrigStar> In General

Don,
I have found that are many who feel that Trig-Star is a waste on time. I often get asked "how may testers have gone on to be Surveyor's?"

I feel the way you do in that it is about exposure. Especially if you can also do a presentation to a class or two. This part is important. Walking in and taking the test really does not get them a lot of information about the profession.

What ever our national organization looks like in the future I believe that they need to do a better job letting folks know what we do and why it is important.

Joe
Oregon Trig-Star Coordinator

I'd contact Russel Strayer at Strayer Surveying...

He and I graduated from the UF Geomatics program about three years ago, and I believe he just got licensed. We haven't been in contact much, well maybe facebook, but we were good friends in college. We were all very adamant about how important it is to get more young people involved in the profession.

I remember talking about TrigStar and possibly getting involved in it since I was in the Geomatics Student Association, but we pretty much got the same vibe I feel on this thread.

If you'd like I can contact him for you, if you haven't already found someone. He's a pretty motivated guy.