01/12/2024

The HamCation¿ Awards committee has announced the 2024 Orlando HamCation[1] recipients of the Carole Perry Educator of the Year and the Gordon West Ambassador of the Year awards. Both awards will be presented at the 2024 Orlando HamCation, which is hosting this year's ARRL Florida State Convention, on February 9 - 11, 2024.

Lewis Malchick, N2RQ, is the recipient of this year's Carole Perry Educator of the Year Award. Malchick holds an Amateur Extra-class license and is co-founder of the ARRL School Club Roundup[2], of which he's been active with for more than 25 years. He formerly taught chemistry at the Brooklyn Tech High School, where he's an advisor to the school's Amateur Radio and Wireless Tech Club, W2CXN. Malchick is the trustee for the Stuyvesant High School Amateur Radio Club, W2CLE, the chairperson of the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club (LIMARC) Education Committee and has participated in five ARISS contacts. He's spent his lifetime educating children and adults about amateur radio.  

The Carole Perry Educator of the Year Award was first awarded at the 2019 HamCation to its namesake, Carole Perry, WB2MGP, in honor of her work as an educator and teaching students about ham radio. It is given annually to individuals who've made outstanding contributions to educating and advancing youth in amateur radio.  

The 2024 Gordon West Ambassador of the Year Award winners are Fred, AB1OC, and Anita Kemmerer, AB1QB. The Kemmerer's hold Amateur Extra-class licenses and are active in the Nashua Area Radio Society[3] promoting amateur radio instruction, youth outreach, and STEM education. Together, they've created and helped grow Ham Bootcamp[4], a program encouraging more than 900 hams to learn new skills. They're active in the club's training and licensing events, along with Tech Night, which complements club meetings. Their participation in STEM activities includes high-altitude balloon launches, foxhunts, and ARISS contacts for many schools.  

Fred Kemmerer is the ARRL New England Division Director, and he chairs and contributes to several subcommittees. Anita Kemmerer serves the Division as an Assistant Director for mentoring and new ham development.   The Gordon West Ambassador of the Award was first awarded the 2023 HamCation, in honor of West's contributions and inspiration to the amateur radio community. It's given to individuals who represent and inspire others and who embody the amateur radio spirit by making outstanding contributions to the amateur radio community.  

HamCation has been sponsored by the Orlando Amateur Radio Club, W4PLB, since 1946, and is held annually on the second weekend of February.


[1] https://www.hamcation.com/
[2] https://www.arrl.org/school-club-roundup
[3] https://www.n1fd.org/
[4] https://www.n1fd.org/ham-bootcamp/

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