Schofield Middle School's Amateur Radio Club placed first nationally in the middle school category in the annual American Radio Relay League School Club Roundup.

In the middle school category, Schofield scored 252,170 points, competing against more than a dozen other middle schools from Texas to Rhode Island.

"I am very proud that our club can compete with the likes of Texas A&M and the Lampasas, Texas, Middle School Youth Amateur Radio Club to place third overall and first place in the middle school category of the School Club Roundup," said faculty sponsor Tray Nelson, who teaches computer keyboarding and computer applications. "Our Schofield students are true competitors, and I'm very proud of them and our affiliation with our volunteers with the Belvedere/North Augusta Radio Club," Nelson said.

The club also placed first in the nation last year, Nelson said.

Overall, the club, known as the Ram Ham Radio Club, after the school's mascot, placed third behind first-place Texas A&M University and just about 800 points shy of secondplace Embry Riddle University.

During the five-day competition, students in the club made a total of 835 contacts with other radio clubs and users across the country and around the world as follows: • 47 states and seven provinces • 19 countries • 17 other clubs • 39 schools.

The goal of the annual competition was for students, working three to four hours after school, to make contact with as many other ham radio operators as possible during one week in October.

A grant from Savannah River Nuclear Solutions in April 2009 to begin a radio communications program at Schofield Middle provided the initial funding for the club.

Working with volunteers from the North Augusta/Belvedere Radio Club, students operate from a ham radio base station, or radio shack, just off the cafeteria hallway to make contact with other operators during meetings. Interested students also can study for and earn their Technician Ham Radio license through the club. Open to all Schofield Middle students, the club meets from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

Members of the Schofield Middle School Amateur Radio Club work with volunteers from the North Augusta/Belvedere radio club to make contacts with other ham radio operators from around the world during the annual American Radio Relay League School Club Roundup in October. The club placed first for middle schools for the second year.