In June, the ARRL Executive Committee reviewed grant applications for the ARRL’s Education & Technology Program (ETP), awarding equipment and resources valued at nearly $5000 to six schools. More than 575 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. Applications for equipment and resource grants are accepted twice each year; application deadlines are May 1 and November 1.

A central goal of the ETP is to develop a foundation of wireless technology literacy among America’s teachers and students. It employs Amateur Radio to explore radio science and electronics and provide hands-on activities that engage students’ minds and imaginations, opening doorways into math, science and technology curriculum topics, as well as other core curriculum areas such as geography and language arts.

ETP Grants

Grants for school radio stations are awarded to schools that provide a plan to use Amateur Radio as part of an enrichment program and/or as part of in classroom learning. The following schools recently received ETP equipment and resource grants at a total estimated cost of $3600:

Acres Green Elementary School, Littleton, Colorado: The applicant for this grant has been developing a program at his school as a result of his experiences as an active Amateur Radio operator and after attending an ARRL Teachers Institute. Through the teacher’s leadership, the school has already started an Amateur Radio club and received its station license. The club is well organized and has been meeting since the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year. The plan is realistic, incremental, and doable. The activities they have already completed and have planned for the 2011-2012 school year reflect real-world applications.

Belton-Honea High School, Honea Path, South Carolina: The program articulated in this grant application is to develop a science and technology club with the Amateur Radio station being the center piece of their program. The intent of the Amateur Radio component is to teach wireless technology and to license these students. Ultimately, the school wants to expose these students to variety of high-tech careers and community service trough Amateur Radio. The lead teacher has a logical plan to implement this program and has the support from school leadership to carry it through. The activities planned for the 2011-2012 school year reflect real world applications.

Tonganoxie High School, Tonganoxie, Kansas: The author of this grant is a TI graduate who is involved with an active school club at this and another local area high school. The teacher has already taught key components from our ETP program. The school’s Amateur Radio club has the support of multiple local Amateur Radio clubs, and the proposed program has real life applications.

Progress Grants

The purpose of the ETP Progress Grant is to offer modest resource support to those teachers who are currently using Amateur Radio in their classrooms as an instructional tool and who need additional resources for specific purposes. The following schools received equipment and resource Progress Grants at a total estimated cost of $1000:

Nelson County Area Technical Center, Bardstown, Kentucky: The lead teacher is a TI graduate and has an active program within his school. He has submitted a very detailed documentation on his program development, which incorporates an impressive program that touches on all the main components of the ETP program, including satellite applications. The teacher is requesting materials to support the program in his school, which has grown exponentially this past year. This grant will enable his students to download NOAA satellite images and atmospheric conditions that will be used to teach a variety of science and technology concepts.

Samsula Academy, New Smyrna Beach, Florida: The lead teacher is a TI graduate and received a Progress Grant in December 2010 to support a very good, hands-on electronics curriculum at the Academy. The teacher has been very diligent in documenting the success of her efforts and providing that feedback to the League and to other schools. This grant request would continue to add to her program and increase her hands-on approach to her program. The applicant is requesting some expendable construction kits, including Morse code oscillator kits and a beginner soldering kit, as well as other reusable instructional resources for basic electronics.

Northside Methodist Academy, Dothan, Alabama: The lead teacher is an experienced radio amateur and avid technology teacher. The teacher is requesting grant support that will allow him to include VHF communications, D-STAR and APRS capabilities, as well as NOAA weather satellite receiving capabilities, a content area stressed during the Teachers Institute. His plan and lessons are well thought out and make good connections to the State’s education standards.