b'Schools: To Open or Not to Open? That Is the QuestionLance Botdorf, Arthur J Adams, Adavian D Johnson, Bryce Walker, Christopher A Holland, Michaela Morris, Payton N Foster, Tamara Harris, Gabrielle A Burns, Kinsey L Sosa, and Troy HarperSponsor: Dr.Jia LuSchool opening for in-classroom lessons during the pandemic has been a controversial topic in many regions and cities during the pandemic. Schools provide critical educational services for students and their opening or closing impacts millions of families and students, especially the low-income population who could not provide private tutors for their children.Georgia is one of the earliest in the country to open some of the schools to have in-classroom classes.Limited study has been conducted to evaluate the success and challenges of school opening during this process. Thus, the objective of this project is to involve our students in the comprehensive analysis of school openings, from the perceptive of both teachers and staff. We review cases in the US and abroad and surveyed teachers and staff regarding the issue. Our analyses provide insights into this critical issue. Policies and suggestions for safe school openings are also provided.Analysis of On-demand Transportation Systems in the U.S.Lance Botdorf, Jessica Shores, Brandon Bell, Brooke Wells, Bryce Walker, Jarred Bornman, Jeff Williams, Michaela Morris, Tamara Harris, Patrick Lee, and Ryan CarterSponsor: Dr. Jia LuOn-demand transit programs have been popular in many regions and cities and they provide a fundamental service for those who cannot afford personal transportation, especially the elderly and impoverished population who are left vulnerable without a means to travel. The city of Valdosta currently does not have a public transit system and on-demand transit might be a great option. However, no comprehensive study has been conducted to evaluate the success and challenges of on-demand transit and how the city of Valdosta can benefit from such a system. The objective of this project is to involve our students in the comprehensive analysis of on-demand transit in the U.S. After researching literary sources, we developed a specialized survey and interviewed over a dozen planning and transit management officials in various cities throughout the U.S. who had implemented their own on-demand transit systems. Our analysis of the interviews revealed some key trends amongst on-demand transit and summarized the success stories. We suggest the city of Valdosta adopt a similar on-demand transit system and we provide specific strategies for funding and implementation as well.49'