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 Previous: Introduction to Amateur Radio Emergency Communications |  Next: The K7VVV Solar Update |
NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 15, 2001--The Texas elementary school serving as a pilot school for the ARRL's "The Big Project" educational initiative already boasts more than a dozen new hams--including the teacher who's spearheading the program--and a lot of enthusiasm. Now, thanks to The Big Project, it's got some new ham gear.
 Put your hands on the radio! DeGolyer Elementary School students and faculty accept the donation of an ICOM IC-706MkIIG transceiver from Keith Pugh, W5IU (center). Pictured left to right: In back row, ARRL Vice President Kay Craigie, WT3P; Richard Aguilar, KD5LXM; Pugh; ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP; ARRL West Gulf Director Coy Day, N5OK; HamCom chairman Maury Guzick, W5BGP; Peggy (far right). Students, counterclockwise: Megan, KD5OJG; Addy; Lyndsey, KD5LXP; Mary; Reba, KD5OJC; Jaquoran, KDOJJ; Glendon, KD5OJH; Jay, KD5LXN and Jasmine, KD5OJI (standing). Teacher Sanlyn Kent, KD5LXO, is in front of Day. [ARRL Photo] |
The Everette Lee DeGolyer School in Dallas recently received some $2600 worth of equipment paid for through the ARRL Education Project Fund to equip its ham radio club station, K5DES. Plans call for establishing similar programs at other schools across the US, after The Big Project--formally The ARRL Amateur Radio Education Project--is fully in place and under way.
"Once we get a coordinator--an educational professional--at Headquarters, we'll begin to develop additional curriculum and coordinate with additional schools across the country," said ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP. Haynie proposed The Big Project shortly after taking office last year and subsequently convinced the ARRL Board of Directors to adopt it as a League program. It's still in the developmental stages. Funds for the DeGolyer pilot project came from individual gifts and an ARRL Foundation donation to The Big Project.
 DeGolyer student and Amateur Radio club member Nick, KD5OJB, at the microphone of the newly equipped K5DES. [ARRL Photo] |
Haynie, meanwhile, has been working with the DeGolyer program for several months now and had loaned some of his personal gear to the youngsters to help them get started. The ARRL Education Project supplied a Yaesu FT-847 HF/VHF/UHF multimode transceiver plus Cushcraft R8 and A6270-13S antennas as well as other accessories for K5DES. . As a bonus, the club station recently benefited from the generosity of Keith Pugh, W5IU, who donated an ICOM IC-706MkIIG that he'd won at the recent HamCom convention. Pugh is AMSAT-NA vice president for operations.
DeGolyer teacher Sanlyn Kent, KD5LXO, says that, so far, 14 youngsters--ranging from 10 to 12 years old and in grades 4 through 6--have become licensed. Kent, an art teacher at the school, got her Technician ticket only last fall and says she's been learning along with the kids. "Artists take risks all the time," she said, adding that she's been able to bring an aspect of artistic creativity to the school's Amateur Radio educational efforts.
 ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, and DeGolyer teacher Sanlyn Kent, KD5LXO (center), with several of the K5DES crew: Standing, Lyndsey, KD5LXP; Haynie; Mary; Jasmine, KD5OJI; Sanlyn Kent, KD5LXO; Addy (facing right); Glendon, KD5OJH; Jay, KD5LXN; and Reba, KD5OJC. In front, Megan, KD5OJG, and Jaquoran, KD5OJJ. [ARRL Photo] |
The DeGolyer students plan to be active during Kid's Day this weekend from K5DES.
Kent said the school has been able to integrate ham radio into nearly all aspects of the DeGolyer curriculum, from geography and social studies to science and math. In the art classroom, youngsters have been designing their own QSL cards.
"My hope is to add TV capabilities to this," Kent said, adding that the school's principal is very supportive of that direction.
While the program was initially intended to be aimed at middle school students, Kent says she believes it works better at the elementary level. She said older youngsters often find themselves involved in too many other activities by the time they reach middle school and don't have time to take on something new. "I can't tell you how many hams I've talked with who first got their licenses at around age 11 or 12," she said.
Kent said she's also found ham radio in the classroom to benefit the youngsters' social as well as their academic development. "One of the greatest things is that ham radio gets kids used to talking to other people," she said. "We keep finding ways every day to make it fit in."
With a group of largely Technician class operators at this point, Kent said she and the other K5DES members are looking forward to upgrading, so they can chat more readily with stations in other countries and learn more about different cultures. Right now, though, the youngsters--some of whom just got licensed through test sessions at HamCom--are enjoying using local repeaters. "They come over to my house all the time," said Kent, who has her own station.
A licensing class is under way as an extracurricular summer session, she said. Eventually, Kent said, she wants to have licensed, experienced students be able to introduce Amateur Radio to their peers.
Her sixth graders will be attending middle school in the fall, but Kent said she expects them to return to DeGolyer each Friday to visit and work on upgrading. Another licensing class will begin in the fall.
 Happy students at the Franklin Elementary School in Kirkland, Washington, also recently received a shipment of ARRL's Now Your Talking books, thanks to a recent ARRL Progress Grant, part of "The Big Project." The youngsters signs suggest the positive impact in terms of licensing. The students are members of the Lake Washington HAM Club, KC7OIO, mentored by teacher Dave Condon, KI7YP. [Dave Condon, KI7YP, Photo] |
Last year, the Education Project received donations of stock from anonymous benefactors. In addition, the ARRL Foundation donated $50,000 in start-up funds for the project. Since the ARRL is a 501(c)(3) organization, donations are tax deductible--at the appreciated value in the case of securities.
As conceived by Haynie and under the guidance of ARRL Vice President Kay Craigie, WT3P, the ARRL Amateur Radio Education Project will work directly with teachers who use Amateur Radio as a teaching strategy in the classroom. "The goal is to improve the quality of education for kids by providing educationally valid techniques involving Amateur Radio for teaching all sorts of subjects--science, geography, languages, speech," Craigie said. "Kids get the hobby of a lifetime and preparation for good careers--that's the ultimate goal."
Craigie said the project's philosophy is that Amateur Radio can be a "powerful resource" for teachers in attaining their educational goals--whether or not licensing is involved. "It's about improving education."
Donations large or small from individuals and organizations targeted for The ARRL Amateur Radio Education Project are encouraged. Donations in the form of cash or securities may be sent to the ARRL Amateur Radio Education Project, c/o Chief Financial Officer Barry Shelley, N1VXY, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. For more information, contact Shelley bshelley@arrl.org; 860-594-0212, to discuss details.
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