Young ARRL award winners
energise Georgia youth forum
Those who fret about the future of Amateur Radio would have
found reason for optimism during the Georgia State Convention November
6-7 in Lawrenceville.
The popular hamfest this year played host to two of the
country's most-honored young radio amateurs: Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM,
a 2003 ARRL Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award winner (Jay Thompson, W6JAY,
was the other winner), and Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, an earlier HPM Award
recipient and soon to be the League's youngest-ever division vice director.
"Amateur Radio is not just a hobby but can set you on a lifelong
path of enjoyment and even a career," Mileshosky told the convention's
Youth Forum November 6. He should know. Although barely 25, Mileshosky,
who's from
Albuquerque, New Mexico, will assume the office of ARRL Rocky Mountain
Division Vice Director on January 1.
Currently completing graduate school at Georgia Tech, Mileshosky - the
featured speaker at the Youth Forum Hartlage organized - says it was his
interest in ham radio that guided his career path in electrical engineering.
He encouraged young radio amateurs to seek leadership
positions starting at the club level.
Mileshosky and Hartlage have quite a bit in common.
Both are Amateur Extra class licensees in addition to being HPM Award
winners - Mileshosky was honored with the 1999 award - as well as recipients
of the Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award. Mileshosky
was selected in 1997, while Hartlage received the YHOTY award this year.
In June 2003, Hartlage succeeded Mileshosky as contributing editor of
the "Youth@HamRadio.Fun"; Web column.
ARRL Senior News Editor Rick Lindquist, N1RL, invited Mileshosky to share
the stage as he presented Hartlage with the 2003 HPM Award plaque. The
award also carries a $1500 stipend.
"I often joke about having thousands of parents via ham radio,"
Hartlage said in her Youth Forum presentation, referring to those who
have mentored her as well as to radio amateurs she's met on the air or
worked with on various projects. Hartlage also spoke of the "fun
activities" she's
discovered through ham radio, including involvement in public service,
and of the "lifelong friendships" she's developed. Ham radio
has even helped her with school, she said.
She encouraged veteran radio amateurs to become mentors - or Elmers -
and to stay in touch with their younger charges after they're licensed
to guide them in getting on the air or becoming involved in the various
aspects of ham radio. Mutual respect was another point she stressed. "Adults
should deal with younger hams as peers," she suggested.
To her youthful audience, which included children as young as eight,
Hartlage exhorted, "Go forth and build a radioactive youth!"
The "youth lounge" Hartlage set up at the convention as a gathering
spot for younger attendees especially impressed Mileshosky. "I've
personally not seen a youth lounge at any other hamfest I've been to and
have not seen so many youth at a youth forum except for the last time
I was at
Dayton," he remarked. The area included not only snacks, drinks,
ham radio presentations and information but served as the home of the
W4Y ("Watch for Youth") special event station.
In addition to helping to oversee the various youth activities, Hartlage
took time to guide several younger visitors to the youth lounge through
their first Amateur Radio HF contacts.
Source: ARRL Letter - courtesy of The
American Radio Relay League
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