The ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology wrapped up up its final cohort for 2024. Eight educators from across the country gathered at ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut, last week to learn how to incorporate radio technology into their lessons. Eighty-five educators have gotten hands-on with radio technology through the program in 2024.

On Thursday, October 10, as Hurricane Milton’s remnants continued to roar across Florida, the group decoded GOES satellite images of the storm. As the decoded signals were converted to images, there were exclamations of amazement in the conference room that serves as the training center. “Wow!” said several teachers, almost in unison.

Lisa Werner, KE8BMR, of Mukwonago, Wisconsin, earned her Technician Class license during the week at TI. Experiences like the weather satellite decode opened her eyes to the broad possibilities of amateur radio. “I learned all the different things that can be done in ham radio. I thought it was just talking on the radio before coming to TI,” she said.

Radio is central to TI, but the goal isn’t just to create more hams. “It really is about getting radio and radio technology back into the front of mind for students,” said ARRL Education and Learning Manager Steve Goodgame, K5ATA.

By incorporating radio into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) lessons, the importance of radio communications in all aspects of modern and future life is demonstrated for the generation that could take humans to Mars and beyond.

“We’re excited for the future, and especially for the future of the ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology,” said Goodgame. “2025 will be a strong year of growth for the program. We’ve continued to improve on our strong foundation and groups like this cohort give us a lot of energy to look forward.”

The ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology is funded entirely by donations to the ARRL Education & Technology Fund. In the last three years, 175 educators have attended TI. There are 7 cohorts of the program in 2024, and the goal is to scale it to 16 for 2025, including taking the institute “on the road” to different cities around the country.