Eight-year-old Janet Kaeding operates on ARRL Kid's Day at W8KIT, the Heathkit Amateur Radio Group in Stevensville, Michigan. [Randy Kaeding, K8TMK, Photo]
By Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM
Contributing Editor
March 1, 2006
Time again to catch up on youth-related ham radio news. Don't miss the upcoming events that are geared toward you!
Adults are lined up to help "Elmer" (mentor) ham radio's younger generations; we just need to tell them how. So, please send me your comments, suggestions and ideas, and I'll publish them in a future column. That way, everyone can benefit--young and old alike.
Eight-year-old Janet Kaeding operates on ARRL Kid's Day at W8KIT, the Heathkit Amateur Radio Group in Stevensville, Michigan. [Randy Kaeding, K8TMK, Photo] |
The Kid's Roundup Contest, held the first Saturday in April, is just around the corner. Sponsored by Maryland's Anne Arundel Radio Club Jr, the object of this operating event is to exchange QSO information with as many kids as possible. The target date for announcing the contest results is at the Dayton Hamvention "Youth in Amateur Radio" forum. I'd like to hear about your Kid's Roundup Contest experiences, too: awextra@arrl.org.
Last year, there was a Youth Forum, a Youth Booth in the ARRL EXPO area, and for the first time, a Youth Dinner. Several of these attractions and more will be returning this year, so don't miss it!
To get an idea about what Dayton is like, watch Icom's
video of the 2005 Hamvention. Visit the Dayton
Hamvention Web site to learn more. You can even order tickets online.
 William Byrd High School Principal Richard Turner, KZ4VT, takes a turn at the radio during School Club Roundup. Seated with Turner (L-R) are Peter Trudell and club members Chris Kevorkian, KI4EUZ, and Catherine Jones, KI4EVA. Standing is club advisor Phil Roark, K4WFO. [David R. Jones Jr, N4JED, Photo] |
Among the many participants in the annual School Club Roundup contest was William Byrd High School. The Vinton, Virginia, high school placed fourth last year and hopes to do even better this time. One of the early ARRL "Big Project" schools, WBHS has incorporated Amateur Radio into its electronics curriculum, with a focus on students earning their Amateur Radio licenses by the end of the school year.
The club received its charter at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, as a youth-oriented club. ARRL Nebraska Section Manager Matt Anderson, KA0BOJ, presented the affiliation certificate to Lt Col Darrell McMillan, Commander of the General Curtis E. LeMay Offutt Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol.
The message to parents was clear: We all rely on technology: telephones, cell phones, e-mail and the Internet. When disaster strikes, this communications infrastructure becomes stressed or can fail altogether, as happened during last year's Gulf Coast hurricanes. Amateur Radio plays an important role in backing up communications in our communities, but it can do that only if we have trained operators.
"This club definitely has a step in the right direction, and there are few clubs in the area with a focus on youth," Anderson said. The club's purpose is to bring youth into our ranks and to introduce them to unique aspects of technology, science and math while presenting the concepts in a way that will keep their interest.
"The club also provides a unique opportunity for young adults," observed Ed Moss, N0LJD, the club trustee and a 25-year CAP member. At the 2005 Dayton Hamvention, the ARRL and the Civil Air Patrol consummated a Memorandum of Agreement that encourages education of the respective memberships regarding each other's programs and activities. This club is one tool that will help to accomplish that goal.
The club isn't just for CAP members; it's open to all young people with an interest in communication, and the club puts even more focus on aerospace-related communication. So far, the club has seen a strong interest in direction finding, telemetry from model rockets, working with high-altitude balloons and satellite communication. Along the way, the club hopes to bring its message to other Amateur Radio clubs, local schools and Scout programs.
 Rebekah Dorff, WG4Y (right), Alabama Assistant Section Manager for Youth Activities, at the ARRL Youth Activities booth during ARRL EXPO 2005 at Dayton Hamvention. Her mom, WN4C, is in the background. [ARRL Photo] |
 Adam Hoffman, WY4N, South Carolina Assistant Section Manager Youth. |
 The Youth Banquet at Dayton Hamvention 2005. [Rick Lindquist, N1RL, Photo] |
So far, at least three ARRL sections have appointed an Assistant Section Manager for Youth as part of their respective leadership teams: Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. There could be others, and if you know of other ARRL sections with assistant section managers for youth, please let me know.
We've featured Alabama Assistant Section Manager for Youth Rebekah Dorff, WG4Y, in previous columns. I serve in that capacity for the ARRL Georgia Section. Now, I'd like to introduce Adam Hoffman, WY4N, who has been serving as South Carolina Assistant Section Manager/Youth for approximately two years now.
When asked about his role, he responded, "I try to encourage young hams in South Carolina to stay active and not to let their licenses to go to waste. They are the future of the hobby."
South Carolina Section Manager Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, said that he decided to appoint Hoffman to the position after working with him in other capacities, such as Section Traffic Manager. The duties of a youthful Assistant Section Manager, according to Boehner, are preparing a bi-monthly report and working within the Section to promote youth interest in Amateur Radio.
"Adam accompanies me to most hamfests," Boehner notes, "so he does have opportunities to interact with youth at some level."
I encourage all Section Managers to strongly consider creating equivalent positions. Boehner's advice to SMs in search of the right young person is, "Try to find someone who is influential to other youth, with a good personality and a desire to learn and interact with others. Hopefully [you can] find one that is very respectful to the older hams but interacts well with the younger ones."
Also, youth: if you'd like to coordinate and promote youth activities within your ARRL Section, don't be afraid to talk to your Section Manager about it. To find out who your Section Manager is, visit the ARRL Web site's ARRL Sections page. Then, contact your SM, introduce yourself and tell him or her about your desire to help promote ham radio to youth. If you have questions about how to go about it, e-mail me. Let's see if we can get an Assistant Section Manager for Youth in every ARRL section!
But most of all, get involved. No excuses!
Editor's Note: Sixteen-year-old Extra-class operator
and ARES Member Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM, resides in Grayson, Georgia. Her Amateur Radio activities include public service, kit building, hamfesting, and
operating SSB, CW and digital modes. Amateurs with youth-related news and
photos are invited to contact Andrea via
e-mail with the subject line "Youth Column."
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