ARRL Executive Committee Approves Eight Education

[David (N4DLT)]

ARRL Executive Committee Approves Eight Education & Technology Program Grants

In July 2009, the ARRL Executive Committee reviewed grant applications for the ARRL's Education & Technology Program (ETP), awarding nearly $9000 to eight schools. More than 370 schools across the country have received support from the ETP in the form of grants for equipment, curriculum and resources, as well as teacher in-service training through the Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology. The Executive Committee reviews applications for equipment and resource grants twice each year.

ETP Grants

ETP grants consist of Amateur Radio equipment, enabling the school to set up a station. Schools may receive activity kits in addition to station equipment. The following schools recently received ETP grants:

Bob Jones High School, Madison, Alabama: One teacher from this school -- and another seven from the school's district -- attended the ARRL Teachers Institute this summer. The grant application proposed a basic Amateur Radio station to implement what these teachers learned during the Teachers Institute. The proposal detailed a long range plan with incremental steps; this basic station set-up is the first step to school district-wide programs within numerous schools in the district.

Armada Middle School, Armada, Michigan: The program articulated in this grant application is the typical entry level program that includes Amateur Radio as an extracurricular activity, and asks for a basic Amateur Radio station. The instructors plan to mainstream the program as they gain experience and student support.

Hidden Valley High School, Roanoke, Virginia: This grant application asks for a basic Amateur Radio station. As the school gains experience with ham radio in the classroom, their program will be refined. Their application requests a basic station set up and has plans for future expansion.

Progress Grants

In order for a school to be considered for a Progress Grant, it must already be an ETP School. If a teacher attends a session of the Teachers Institute, that school is automatically considered an ETP School. The following schools received Progress Grants:

West Pines Elementary School, Greenville, Tennessee: The lead teacher -- a graduate of the Teachers Institute -- wants to integrate the weather satellite system that was demonstrated during the Teachers Institute. This will be used as a beginning to expand the program to include space in the classroom content.

Morris County School of Technology, Denville, New Jersey: The lead teacher is a graduate of the Teachers Institute, but has moved to this school since that time. He would like to integrate the weather satellite system that was demonstrated during the Teachers Institute as a beginning to expand the program to include space in the classroom content.

Highland Middle School, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania: The lead teacher is a graduate of the Teachers Institute and wants to integrate the weather satellite system that was demonstrated during the Teachers Institute as a beginning to expand his program to include space in the classroom content.

Sister Lakes Elementary School, Dowagiac, Michigan: The lead teacher, a graduate of the Teachers Institute, was selected to participate in the inaugural Teachers Institute II this summer. He has proven to be a strong advocate for integrating ham radio not only in his previous school assignment as a teacher, but also in his current position as a school administrator. He is requesting the equipment resources to develop the Mars Lander simulation that is demonstrated during the Teachers Institute.

Livingston High School, Livingston, New Jersey: The lead teacher for this program is a recent Teachers Institute graduate. He wants to expand the use of the activity board resources he learned about during the Institute into his regular curriculum.

Nichols Junior High School, Arlington, Texas: The lead teacher is a graduate of the Teachers Institute and wants to integrate the weather satellite system that was demonstrated during the Teachers Institute as a beginning to expand his program to include space in the classroom content.

A goal of the ARRL Education & Technology Program is to improve the quality of education by providing an educationally sound curriculum that employs Amateur Radio to integrate technology, math, science, geography and language arts with core curricula. Amateur Radio and an understanding of radio science are keys to building Wireless Technology Literacy, another important objective.