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Middle School STEM Club Launches High-Altitude Balloons; Signals Tracked in Europe and Australia

08:02 PM, 12/02/2025
Middle School STEM Club Launches High-Altitude Balloons; Signals Tracked in Europe and Australia

On Nov. 19, Woodruff Middle School’s STEM Club launched four student-built telemetry balloons whose signals were received as far away as Europe and Australia, though weather limited flights to about four hours. The second-year club — now 34 members strong — gained hands-on experience building electronics, soldering and designing payloads. Volunteers from the Gloucester County Amateur Radio Club and a helium donation from Airgas made the launch possible; students will now analyze telemetry and prepare for spring rocket and balloon projects.

On Nov. 19, students in the Woodruff Middle School STEM Club launched four high-altitude balloons carrying telemetry systems they designed and built. Radio signals from those payloads were received as far away as Europe and Australia, a notable achievement for a student-run program.

Although club members and volunteers had hoped the balloons would remain aloft for about two days, adverse weather reduced the flights to roughly four hours. Recovery from the East Coast is difficult — the balloons often travel out over the Atlantic — so the team focused on collecting and analyzing telemetry rather than retrieval.

Advisor Angela Metzger, a seventh-grade math teacher, said the long-term goal is to one day launch flights that circumnavigate the globe. "And it does happen," she said. "It just hasn’t happened for us yet." Metzger praised the students for completing the project despite challenging conditions and noted that they will review the telemetry to improve future missions.

Students designed and assembled the electronic payloads, taking precise measurements and gaining first-hand experience with tools such as soldering irons. Volunteers from the Gloucester County Amateur Radio Club supported the weekly meetings and the launch. Ham radio volunteer Mike Thompson arranged a donation of helium and filling equipment from his employer, Airgas, which Metzger said was essential because helium is expensive.

The STEM Club is now in its second year and has grown to 34 members from grades six through eight. Club activities include electronics, model rockets, 3D printing and amateur radio. The program started after radio-club member Joseph Lee suggested a class at the school; Jon Pearce, president of the amateur radio club, helped bring the idea to district leaders. Superintendent Peter Koza and Principal Harold Hill supported the proposal and appointed Metzger as adviser.

Pearce emphasized that the project ties ham radio to broader STEM topics: weather science, balloon physics, radio propagation, antenna construction and hands-on fabrication. Students will continue working on telemetry analysis and plan spring projects that include small rockets and additional high-altitude launches.

By Joe Smith

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