Founder of the GIS Institute and the nonprofit organization Service at Sea, Drew Stephens works hard to maintain a certain way of life: "Service, work, learning. This is my life. This is fun." The members of Service at Sea will execute this motto by sailing The Copper Sky [pictured right] across the globe to provide GIS training to communities and conservation organizations.

Drew saw a need for an organization like Service at Sea because many communities and conservation organizations have GIS technology but are not adequately equipped with GIS training. The Service at Sea crew will reach out to local conservation organizations that are using GIS technology and aid them in their conservation goals by providing instruction, training, workshops, and other GIS experiences that will ensure sustainable conservation practices.

On June 22nd, Service at Sea had a ceremonial launch from the ESRI User Conference in San Diego, California. The official expedition will begin in July to provide service to communities, conservation groups, teachers, and students. The Copper Sky will take a crew of eight to 12 students, teachers, and earth scientists on a four-year journey dedicated to community outreach, K-12 education, and adventure.

The crew will aid communities by implementing GIS education programs in K-12 schools. They will help teachers develop GIS curriculum and activities that integrate GIS use into other academic spheres, such as science and social studies. Teachers will have online access to curricula and live broadcasts developed from each visited community’s conservation experience. Service at Sea's unique approach to spreading knowledge, having fun, and seeing the world will provide communities with the tools they need to conserve and better manage their resources.

The first leg of The Copper Sky's journey will take the crew up the coast of California, Oregon, Washington, Canada, and finish at Valdez, Alaska. The next segments of the expedition will take them to South America, Africa, India, Indonesia, and other destinations.

If you would like to track the route of the Copper Sky, read the crew's blog, sign up to be on an e-mail list for updates, or learn more about the organization, visit Service at Sea's Web site .