Amateur Radio Day at Midlikes HS

Local students in grades 3-5 will communicate withham operators around the world and learn of ham radio’s connection toNASA and the space program, as part of Amateur Radio Day at MidlakesIntermediate School, Friday, November 2, 2007.An operating amateur radio station will be constructed in the classroom,giving students the opportunity to speak with radio amateurs around theworld, track satellites in orbit, locate people anywhere on Earth inreal time, learn about amateur radio’s role in emergency communicationsand public service, and experience amateur radio as a progressive andexciting hobby.Grant Iraci, a 4th grader at Midlakes Intermediate School who achievedhis ham radio license in 2006, states, “I am excited that my classmateswill be able to learn more about amateur radio as well as our spaceprogram. This is an opportunity to expand on what we learn in theclassroom and see how it applies in everyday life.”Amateur Radio Day at Midlakes Intermediate School is part of aneducational program by Ontario County Radio Amateur Civil EmergencyService (RACES), the Rochester Amateur Radio Association (RARA) and theHamburg-based South Towns Amateur Radio Society (STARS) to inspire andexcite children about their science, math, and technology studies withpractical applications for what they learn in the classroom. The programis visiting ten school districts as well as Boy Scout and Girl Scouttroops in Western New York and has been inspired by Space ShuttleMission STS-120 which is being commanded by local native, Col. PamelaMelroy, USAF (ret).The Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) is a public serviceprovided by amateur radio operators, administered by local, county andstate emergency management agencies, and supported by the FederalEmergency Management Agency (FEMA). As a part of the Amateur RadioService, it provides radio communications for civil-preparednesspurposes during local, regional or national civil emergencies, such asearthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires, power outages, floods, victimsearches, air crashes, and many others.