Amateur Radio Homeschooling Library Presentations by GARS
On January 16 and June 20 of this year (2026), the Gainesville Amateur Radio Society had the opportunity to present amateur radio to two homeschooling groups in Alachua County.
As a former homeschooling mom (Lorilyn Roberts, KO4LBS) of two college graduates, I wish I had known about ham radio when I homeschooled my daughters. I would have incorporated it for the STEM requirements—science, technology, engineering, and math. Ham radio focuses on these subjects, vital for the AI-driven days ahead.
I truly believe one of the biggest mistakes we can make in educating the next generation is teaching boring facts that have no relevance to students or to life in general. Ham radio excels in this arena.
When GARS (Gainesville Amateur Radio Society) was approached to do a presentation at the Millhopper Library for homeschooling families, I jumped at the opportunity.
I was impressed with how the Millhopper Library went out of its way to accommodate our presentation. They had spread the word to the public, and many families attended with toddlers in tow; young people were immediately intrigued by ham radio and asked lots of questions.
We brought walkie-talkies and CW paddles to demonstrate the unique art and skill of amateur radio. After the presentation, some teens went outside to learn how to make long-distance contacts using a handheld Baofeng radio. Others stayed inside to experiment with the CW oscillators and paddles.
The Millhopper presentation was such a success that several other local libraries asked us to come and share. On June 20, we presented to a smaller crowd at the rural Archer Library, focusing particularly on CW/Morse Code, which is always a big hit with teens.
With over 3,000 homeschooling families in the Gainesville area, the reach for amateur ham radio is massive. However, the hardest part is exposure. How do you make a dynamic group of would-be homeschooling operators aware of how ham radio can enhance their learning, particularly in the STEM subjects, in preparation for college? Another question one might ask is: how is amateur radio even relevant in today’s high-tech world?
I asked ChatGPT for the names of some very successful people who became licensed amateur radio operators at a young age. The list was impressive. Here are a few that stood out to me.
- Nobel Prize winner Joe Tayloe, K1JT. Licensed at 13 years old.
- Apple Computer co-founder, Steve Wozniak, WA6BND. Licensed at 10 years old.
- King Hussein of Jordan, JY1. He used amateur ham radio in unique ways to promote peace and goodwill with Israel, including the Mount Nebo Peace Operation in July 1995.
- Owen Garriott, W5LFL. NASA astronaut and electrical engineer, becoming the first person to operate ham radio from space aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. Licensed at 15 years old.
- Chuck Missler, W6OHD. Licensed at 9 years old. Dr. Missler graduated with honors from the U.S. Naval Academy and received a master’s degree in engineering at UCLA. He worked as an executive at many high-profile companies in the aeronautics and defense industries. Later, he became a renowned Biblical scholar, integrating science and Christian theology in thought-provoking books and seminars.
The presentation we did at the Millhopper Library was well-attended, with several presenters, including Shannon Boal, K4GLM, focusing on the history of amateur radio; Terry Gordan, K4TMG, introducing ham radio jargon for newbies; Ken Miller, KF4ULO, Q&A facilitator; Mike Martell, KK4KRZ, spokesperson and coordinator for GARS with the library; and Lorilyn Roberts, KO4LBS, a CW (Morse Code) enthusiast.
Archer Library GARS PresentationThe Archer event included presentations by Terry Gordan, K4TMG; Lorilyn Roberts, KO4LBS; and Vicki Miller, W0VIX. We handed out a word list of radio jargon to help everyone better understand what we were sharing, including a crossword puzzle featuring ham radio terms from the presentation.
Two attendees were not homeschoolers but were former merchant marines. Because the group was small, we had plenty of time for one-on-one sharing and answering questions.
Amateur radio, because it’s so broad, is a phenomenal teaching tool for everyone, not just homeschoolers. For example, I have made many contacts around the world using CW (continuous wave). For some of those contacts, I wasn’t even sure where on the globe the CW operator was located. That is a tiny example of how anyone can use ham radio in unlikely ways to learn new things.
Other hands-on things include building antennas and soldering wires.
Amateur radio is unique in that you can make friends all over the world. There are kids’ groups, women’s groups, contesting groups, and you can meet new amateur operators through special events like Parks on the Air.
The best way to share the art of amateur radio is through exposure. As I noted above, those introduced to ham radio at a young age may be destined to make significant contributions in science and technology. In times of emergency, those with amateur ham radio skills have saved lives. Who knows what our young people might accomplish. Amateur ham radio might be that door to a successful career bordering on genius.
For information on future presentations, as well as updates on meetings, events, photos, and articles, please visit our GARS webpage.
