PELL CITY – The Board of Education unanimously approved a new Amateur Radio Program and the installation of a radio tower at Pell City High School Tuesday night.“I think it’s just an exciting opportunity for our students,” said Helene Bettinger, Pell City High School principal.
She said the Amateur Radio Program is to help capture student interest by exposing them to a nationally recognized course of instruction that is focused around amateur radio, a program authorized by the Federal Communications Commission.
Bettinger said the program was developed by the American Radio Relay League and is already established in more than 100 schools nationwide.
“This is the first such program in the state of Alabama, although efforts to establish additional programs at other schools are under way in the Jefferson and Shelby county areas and in the extended Huntsville area,” Bettinger said.
The program is sponsored by the local Coosa Valley Ham Radio Association, ARRL and the National Association of Amateur Radio Operators.
Bettinger said the program is funded through the Trotter Foundation, ARRL and the state of Alabama. Grant requests are pending from civic groups and individuals.
Ed Tyler, president of the Coosa Valley Ham Radio Association, said Rep. Randy Wood, R-Anniston, was instrumental in securing state funds for the startup of the Amateur Radio Program.
He said the local Coosa Valley Ham Radio group will assist in providing technical support and help secure additional funds for the program.
Tyler also commended Bettinger and Pell City Schools Superintendent Dr. Bobby Hathcock for stepping forward and embracing the program.
“This is the first program of its kind in the state,” Tyler said. “Pell City has chosen to take a position of leadership by instituting this program at the Pell City High School.”
Bettinger said the overall goal of the program is to expand the interest of students into the science, math, foreign language, technology and robotics fields.
Two teachers in the Pell City School System, Michaela Young and Robert Jones, were selected by ARRL and provided full scholarships to attend the ARRL Teachers Institute of Wireless Technology in Tuscan, Ariz. They will run the Amateur Radio Program at the high school.
The program is open to all Pell City High School students. School officials also hope to start a student amateur radio club at the high school.
Bettinger said all the Amateur Radio Program equipment is new and state of the art. The equipment will integrate well with computers and the modern network service or the Internet.
Students in the program could also participate in emergency communications activities.
