Middle School Class Leads to Ham License

Bob Lavin’s ham radio students at George E. Hale Middle School had no trouble getting back in the swing of things on the Monday after the long Thanksgiving weekend.

But then again, Lavin said his students have enjoyed talking to people in faraway lands such as England and Japan since the beginning of the fall semester, when Hale became the first school in California to offer a Federal Communications Commission amateur radio operators’ license class.

“From what I’ve seen so far, the kids have been very enthused,” Lavin said of his class of 16.

Said Isaac Haimoff, 12, a seventh-grade student at Hale: “I thought it would be fun, and it’s been pretty good.”

Moreover, the class has helped students in math.

“We were doing some work on capacitance and when we got through, I said, ‘By the way kids, this is algebra.’ And they were doing very well before I told them,” Lavin said.

Hale students who successfully complete the course will receive FCC technician or technician plus licenses. Principal Jeanie Leighton said the licenses will allow students to communicate with other licensed amateurs and to assist the community in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency.

The class was developed last year by Leighton and Sylvia Resovich, the school’s assistant principal of counseling service.

“Mrs. Resovich and I were searching for another elective that would be interesting for students,” Leighton said. “We were looking for a class that would develop their reading and writing skills, improve their awareness of technology, awareness of geography, map reading . . . and graphing.”

Upon approval, the school’s Parent Teacher Student Assn. purchased radio equipment, antennae and a computer for the school.

Because of the success of the class, Leighton said more computers will be purchased to accommodate the growing interest among Hale students.

“It’s really turned out to be an excellent class,” Leighton said. “I’m surprised that there aren’t other schools that have this class.”