Orlando HamCation has announced that Dick Fijlstra, PA0DFN, is the 2022 recipient of the Carole Perry Educator of the Year Award. The award recognizes an outstanding contribution to education and advancing youth in amateur radio. It was first awarded in 2018 to its namesake, Carole Perry, WB2MGP, to recognize her work in teaching students about ham radio. Orlando HamCation and ARRL are sponsoring the 2022 ARRL National Convention 10-13th February 2022.

Perry is a past Dayton Hamvention® Amateur of the Year and a recipient of the ARRL Instructor of the Year Award. She has moderated the Hamvention® Youth Forum for more than 3 decades.

Fijlstra is the first international winner of the Carole Perry Educator of the Year Award. A retired school principal, he has worked for years to reach out to youth with the latest technology to ham radio. At ham radio events, he helps groups of youngsters in building electronic projects, guiding groups of other hams to assist them to finish the projects correctly.

He also has organized international school projects, including the Communication Helps International Progress (CHIP) program, with participating schools throughout Europe.

Fijlstra is the Netherlands’ International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) member-society VERON’s Region 1 Amateur Radio Direction Finding Committee (ARDF) Working Group member. It focuses on the European Youth ARDF Championships on transmitter hunting activities and competitions. Fijlstra also of very active in ARDF.

Orlando HamCation - http://www.hamcation.org/