From Weather Campers To Forecasters
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| The Summer 2011 class of Weather Camp grads from the Howard University program in Washington, DC. |
We know there are thousands of students around the country who simply love the weather. These are the ones who would watch The Weather Channel instead of Saturday cartoons, began record daily temperature changes at an early age, and have a passion for sharing their skills with others. Funding from NOAA and the National Science Foundation provides an ideal outlet for guiding students who wish to explore Atmospheric and Climate Sciences as a career interest. Officially it is known as "Careers Camp" but our students simply call it "Weather Camp" and you should know why.
Foot's Forecast is pleased to be a supporting partner for the NCAS Careers/Weather Camp program, lead by the NOAA Center for Atmospheric Science at Howard University in Washington, DC.
One student, many stories
Matt Bolton is a prime example of the impact that attending Weather Camp has had on our forecast team, and the meteorological community. High school student Matt Bolton from Central Florida attended several camps in the past 2 years, including the Jackson State University Camp and the Howard University Camp. In October 2010, Matt joined Foot's Forecast, leading our Central Florida page in Facebook. Since then, he has presented at AMS WeatherFests, has a leadership role in the local AMS chapter, has toured the National Hurricane Center, attended or collaborated in outreach events of local NWS forecast offices. In In October 2011, Matt with Advisor Mike Mogil presented extensive tropical cyclone research findings at the 36th annual National Weather Association conference in Birmingham, Alabama. Matt was a member of the 2011 Tropical Team and has collaborated on several forecasts for our main national website.How many Weather Campers have joined our team? Read further for more information on our weather campers-turned-forecasters.
Since 2010, nearly ten campers from across the U.S. have become mainstays of our team, making a local difference in the lives of over 1,000 readers a dozen states. (Links below are to local Foot's Forecast pages in Facebook operated by the students).
 Foot's Forecasters Mintong & Dakota from the 2009 camp. |
Forecaster Robert P.
NORTHERN VIRGINIA
Forecasters Megan M. and Kurt H.
NORTHERN MARYLAND
Forecaster Nick S.,
EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA
Forecaster Mitch D.
COASTAL NORTH CAROLINA
Forecaster Ross H.
CENTRAL TENNESSEE
Forecaster Kelton H.
CENTRAL FLORIDA
Forecaster Matt B.
If you have a Jul/Aug issue of Weatherwise Magazine, you can read all about the program, written by Weather Camp Director H. Michael Mogil, a Certified Consulting Meteorologist with HowTheWeatherWorks. Mr. Mogil an Advisor to the Foot's Forecast Team, also featured in the article the important connection between Weather Camp and Foot's Forecast.
The abstract can be viewed via this link.
The 411 on Careers Weather Camp
Each Summer, students in the U.S. between grades 6 and 11 have an opportunity to expand their passion for weather and climate, learn from professional meteorologists and get immersed in real science. This mosaic of pictures and articles provides a detailed look at the program, as published in the Howard University NCAS facebook page by Meteorologist H. Michael Mogil.
The NCAS CAREERS Weather Camp is an education outreach program funded by a NOAA grant. The program is headquartered at Howard University's Center for Atmospheric Science in Washington, D.C. Tuition is "low or no cost" to all student participants, and applications for the 2012 program are now available.
INSIDE WEATHER CAMP (Associated Content slide show on activities from previous weather camps since 2007). As you'll see from the slide show, Weather Camp can be for many, a life-changing experience. For others, it is an eye-opening look at the many opportunities available to those interested in science as a career. (Photo: Mr. Foot and Forecaster Dakota with the Camp Coordinator Mr. Mike Mogil and Dr. Vernon Morris of Howard University at the January 2011 conference of the American Meteorological Society in Seattle, WA.)
For two weeks, students are "engaged in hands-on activities, field experiments, seminars, tours of research facilities, and workshops that expand their knowledge of atmospheric sciences, weather and forecast models, and environmental instrumentation." A resident program for rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, the camp provides exposure to the college experience through their interactions on campus, interactions with Atmospheric Sciences STEM and graduate students, and use of campus computational and academic facilities.
THE FOOT'S FORECAST CONNECTION
In 2010, our team developed a partnership with How The Weatherworks and Howard University in order to provide qualified weather camp graduates an opportunity to advance their forecasting skils by joining our multi-state teams. In addition to two of our forecasters having attended the Howard weather camp in 2009 and 2010, Advisor Mr. Foot and Forecaster Dakota Smith presented the Foot's Forecasting concept to several NOAA Weather Camp Directors at the 91st Annual Conference of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) January 27 and 28, 2011. In 2012, two 2011 weather camper and six members of the Foot's Forecast Leadership Team were in attendance at the 2012 AMS conference in New Orleans.
As reported on the weatherworks website:
"We are now heavily involved in fostering the nationwide growth of Foot's Forecast, an innovative weather forecasting program showcasing the talents of interested high school and underclass college undergraduates. You may wish to check in to see what future meteorologists are capable of delivering in the way of weather services."