U-Hi students surpass teacher in amateur radio skills

A CLASS AT UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL has students testing their amateur radio skills. Two students now have passed the Extra Class Operator’s license exam, a distinction requiring advanced math skills and allowing them to help test others in the amateur radio field. They are juniors Aaron Bestick and Katie Dowling.

Their teacher, Steve Lalonde, has taught the Amateur Radio League License class for three years. Under a pilot project with the Amateur Radio Relay League, the class is designed to integrate math, science, amateur radio and wireless communication.

This year, 24 students out of 27 in the class have passed amateur radio exams including technician and general tests. Students can continue testing and upgrading their skills. A total of 40 students now at U-Hi have amateur radio licenses, Lalonde said.

Lalonde, who has an advanced license, said Bestick and Dowling are one up on him.

“I’ve been sitting on the Advanced License and now that they’ve done this, I have to take this extra class exam,” Lalonde said. “There’s heavy-duty mathematics in the extra class. They have to calculate wave length formulas and do complex electronics.”

“They are definitely ahead of me. One of them is teaching the math to me.”

As a fun project over the Thanksgiving holiday, Lalonde had his students do a contest to see who could make the most contacts by radio between 6 p.m. Nov. 23 and 8 a.m. Monday.

The winner was Spencer Tyler, who made about 50 contacts.

Library cards distributed

An avenue to the county library opened up for 26 Broadway Elementary students last week.

Fourth- and fifth-grade students received public library cards at the school thanks to the school’s partnership with the Spokane County Library District. The cards were issued during a ceremony in the school’s media center with the help of Mary Ellen Braks, SCLD youth program supervisor, said a Central Valley School District news release.

The convenience of bringing the cards to the students has made it easier on families that have not been able to make it to the library, according to the release.

“Most of our fourth- and fifth-grade students have reading contracts due every three months and need access to a wider collection of books,” said Kathy Kalich, a media specialist at Broadway.

Student artwork at hotel

Central Valley High School student artwork is on display at Mirabeau Park Hotel through Dec. 16.

This is the second year for the exhibit that includes two-dimensional art and pottery projects done by ninth- through 12th-grade students in 12 fine art classes. The hotel had an opening reception for the student artists, their families and the public on Tuesday. More than 200 people attended the opening.

“Most student artists do not get this type of exposure and recognition until they are seniors in college,” said Sue Mihalic, CVHS fine arts curriculum coordinator, in crediting Mirabeau Hotel for doing the student exhibit. She said the public is encouraged to view the show.