{
  "id": 4703309,
  "title": "This Teen Helped Native American Students Earn Ham Radio Licenses",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/this-teen-helped-native-american-students-earn-ham-radio-licenses-4703309",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-31T18:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IEEE Spectrum",
    "slug": "ieee-spectrum",
    "url": "https://spectrum.ieee.org/ruchira-shree-ham-radio"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ruchira Shree, a high school sophomore from West Windsor–Plainsboro, New Jersey, is aiding Native American students in securing ham radio licenses through her involvement with the IEEE Princeton Central Jersey Section. Her mother, IEEE Senior Member Shubha Bommalingaiahnapallya, serves as the section’s vice chair. Shree recently attended a program focused on algorithmic and combinatorial thinking to strengthen her math skills and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination, an event for top scorers in the national competition.\n\nThe Alliance for Indigenous Math Circles (AIMC) recruited Shree for an internship at one of their weeklong overnight camps, which aim to expand STEM opportunities for Native American students. The AIMC was inspired by Navajo code talkers from World War II who used their native language to transmit critical messages for the U.S. military. Math teacher Donna Fernandez, codirector of the organization, emphasizes the importance of integrating cultural elements into mathematics education to help students better understand their ancestors’ role as mathematicians. The AIMC runs annual camps at Navajo Preparatory School and Santa Fe Indian School, where students engage in math circles and collaborative STEM projects. Shree, along with nine other students, volunteered at last year's camp in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she assisted with activities and built relationships with the campers.",
  "summary": "For many high school students, summer vacation is a time to unplug. For Ruchira Shree, a rising sophomore at West Windsor–Plainsboro High School South , in New Jersey, the break allows her to ramp up her extracurricular pursuits. Much of her time is spent assisting with IEEE Princeton Central Jersey Section activities. She got involved with the PCJS because of her mother, IEEE Senior Member…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "IEEE Spectrum",
        "title": "This Teen Helped Native American Students Earn Ham Radio Licenses",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/this-teen-helped-native-american-students-earn-ham-radio-licenses",
        "published": "2026-08-31T18:00:01.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}