One project became an ongoing partnership

In summer 2025, the Council began working with PIN through a project supported by two PIN Interns. PIN connected the Council with strong candidates. New South Associates provided supervision, technical tools, and guidance from archaeologists and anthropologists, while the Council brought its knowledge of tribal heritage, cultural context, and the priorities behind the work.

Across two summers, four interns researched Native sites, developed historical and visitor information, created K–12 resources, and gained hands-on experience with ArcGIS StoryMaps. Their learning extended beyond the technical work. One intern attended the Council's Native Night at an Atlanta Braves game, where they met members of Georgia's three state-recognized tribes, Council representatives, and state leaders, connecting the project to the people and living cultures behind it.

Christian Dane, program manager for the Georgia Council on American Indian Concerns, sees that ability to bring people together as one of PIN’s strengths:

“They're able to connect different entities from different industries and fields together.”—Christian Dane

What began as a one-time project continued into a second summer, allowing a new pair of interns to build on work already underway. For the relatively small Council, that extra support of two interns made a meaningful difference. Dane said the project would likely have taken significantly longer without the interns and might not have reached the same level of quality.

The Council now has a stronger digital platform for sharing its educational work, and the interns gained technical experience, mentorship, and exposure to cultural and civic leaders. The Council plans to add the 2026 StoryMap iteration to its website once necessary approvals are complete.

Source: PIN 2026 Impact Report, pages 12–13.