HR1133 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1133 LRB100 22174 ALS 40643 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize the students of Prairie Central High School for their cemetery mapping project; and

WHEREAS, Prairie Central High School Geography teacher Andrew Quain began the cemetery mapping project in the Fall of 2015; it was important to him to not only meet classroom education standards, but also participate in a project that had lasting power, something that his "students could work on and see the results" since geography is "all about collecting and using the data"; and

WHEREAS, The biggest recent addition to the project has been the use of GPS devices, which digitally plot the location of the gravestones; although it requires the students to spend a little bit more time at the cemetery, the devices have improved the speed and accuracy of the map-making process; and

WHEREAS, Students also perform geographic analysis and research individuals buried in the cemetery; a majority of the biographical information requires students to study the gravestones and take notes; additional information, including the date of birth, the date of death, military service where applicable, and any damage to the gravestone, is also collected; and

WHEREAS, Once students are finished collecting their data, the information is uploaded to create an interactive map online; when the map is complete, users will be able to search for the location and information of the graves in the cemetery; the map will be added to the cemetery project webpage on the Prairie Central website, and the geographic analysis will be stored in the school's library and made available upon request; and

WHEREAS, Currently, the geography students are mapping approximately 3,300 graves in Chenoa Cemetery, which they began at the end of April 2018; and

WHEREAS, To date, students have completely mapped seven cemeteries across McLean and Livingston Counties, including St. John Catholic Cemetery, Graceland Cemetery, Chatsworth-Charlotte Cemetery, Fairview Cemetery, Cropsey Cemetery, Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, and South Apostolic Christian Cemetery; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the students of Prairie Central High School for mapping more than 13,000 gravestones across eight cemeteries within the Prairie Central School District, and we commend their work on a project that helps many people in their genealogy research; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Geography teacher Andrew Quain as an expression of our esteem and respect.