Grant: Attracting More Youth and Home School Communities to Amateur Radio

Date: September 2022
Amount:  $29,900

New England Sci-Tech (NEST) is a non-profit STEM education center and maker space dedicated to project-based, hands-on learning for youth and families across the New England community. Bob Phinney founded NEST to provide access to K-12 students to the more exciting aspects of science and to spark interest and enthusiasm for STEM. He realized that many states and school districts do not devote enough time, attention, and resources to hands-on, experiential science education. In addition to public school districts, NEST offers programs for homeschooling and scouting communities.

NEST has been teaching amateur radio classes for 8 years with tremendous success. They believe that helping children learn amateur radio basics at an early age instills a positive attitude toward science and math.

Grant funds will be used to provide a 12-month educational curriculum, including courses and workshops in STEM subjects, such as amateur radio, rocketry, electronics, and astronomy. NEST will provide this program free of charge to all students in grades 5 through 12 in the six New England states. Courses and workshops will be offered both in person in Natick, MA, and remotely via Zoom.

Learn more at: nescitech.org.