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THE 2021 HIRAM PERCY MAXIM MEMORIAL AWARD IS KATHERINE M. FORSON,
KT5KMF, OF PLANO, TEXAS.  A TECHNICIAN IN 2013 AT THE AGE OF 9, A
GENERAL IN 2017, AND AN AMATEUR EXTRA IN 2018, FORSONS ENTHUSIASM
RESULTED IN HER APPOINTMENT AS THE ARRL NORTH TEXAS NTX SECTION
YOUTH COORDINATOR IN 2019.  SHES AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE PLANO
AMATEUR RADIO KLUB AND COLLIN COUNTY RADIO AMATEUR CIVIL EMERGENCY
SERVICE RACES, AND IS A TRAINED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NWS SKYWARN
STORM SPOTTE ARRL BOARD RETURNS TO IN PERSON MEETING FOR SECOND 2021
SESSION DURING THE JULY MEETING, THE ARRL BOARD OF DIRECTORS ADOPTED
A LICENSING GRANT PROGRAM FOR YOUNG AMATEURS, CREATED A NEW
COMMITTEE, AND CONFERRED AWARDS TO DESERVING APPLICANTS.  WITH THE
COVID 19 TRAVEL AND GATHERING RESTRICTIONS DECREASING, THE ARRL
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MET IN PERSON ON JULY 16 17 IN WINDSOR,
CONNECTICUT, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE JANUARY 2020 THE BOARD AND
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HAD BEEN MEETING IN VIRTUAL SESSIONS SINCE THEN.
DURING THIS MEETING, ARRL FORMALLY ENDORSED A PROPOSED YOUTH
LICENSING GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH ASKS ARRL TO COVER THE 35 APPLICATION
FEE FOR HAM RADIO LICENSE CANDIDATES YOUNGER THAN 18 YEARS OF AGE.
THE FCC ISNT EXPECTED TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW APPLICATION FEE SCHEDULE
UNTIL 2022.  THE CONCEPT BEHIND THE PROGRAM WAS FIRST RAISED BY ARRL
SOUTHEASTERN DIVISION DIRECTOR MICKEY BAKER, N4MB, AT THE BOARDS
ANNUAL MEETING IN JANUARY.  AN AD HOC COMMITTEE REVIEW SUBSEQUENTLY
EXPANDED THE SCOPE OF THE ORIGINAL MOTION.  THE PROGRAM GOALS
INCLUDE EXPANDING THE RESERVOIR OF TRAINED OPERATORS, TECHNICIANS,
AND ELECTRONICS EXPERTS WITHIN THE AMATEUR RADIO COMMUNITY, AND
REMOVING A FINANCIAL OBSTACLE TO YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WISH TO ACQUIRE AN
AMATEUR RADIO LICENSE.  THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO HELP ENCOURAGE CAREERS
IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS.  UNDER THE
PROGRAM, ARRL WOULD COVER A ONE TIME 35 APPLICATION FEE FOR EACH
QUALIFIED CANDIDATE WHO PASSES ONE OR MORE AMATEUR RADIO EXAMS TAKEN
ON THE SAME DAY AT A SINGLE EXAMINATION SESSION.  TESTS WOULD HAVE
TO BE ADMINISTERED BY A VOLUNTEER EXAMINER VE TEAM WORKING UNDER THE
AUSPICES OF THE ARRL VOLUNTEER EXAMINER COORDINATOR VEC.  QUALIFIED
CANDIDATES WOULD PAY ARRL VEC A REDUCED EXAM SESSION FEE OF 5.  THE
NEW PROGRAM WOULD ALSO ENHANCE ARRLS POSITION AS THE LEADER IN
VOLUNTEER TESTING, THE BOARD MOTION SAID.  THE BOARD BELIEVES THAT
THE RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING OF YOUNG AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS IS A
NECESSARY AND PROPER MISSION OF ARRL, AND THAT SUBSIDIZATION OF THE
35 FEE WILL REDUCE THE NUMBER OF NEW AMATEURS THAT OTHERWISE WOULD
BE LOST FROM THESE GROUPS.  STAFF AT ARRL HEADQUARTERS WOULD
DETERMINE THE METHOD OF QUALIFYING APPLICANTS, GIVING VE TEAMS
FLEXIBILITY TO DETERMINE WHETHER A CANDIDATE IS ELIGIBLE FOR
REIMBURSEMENT IN THE ABSENCE OF DOCUMENTED PROOF.  THE NEW PROGRAM
WOULD INITIALLY SERVE UP TO 1,000 NEW LICENSE APPLICANTS WHO ARE
UNDER THE AGE OF 18.  THE MOTION GAVE ARRL STAFF COMPLETE LATITUDE
TO DETERMINE HOW PAYMENT IS DELIVERED TO THE FCC OR HOW
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