Accompanied by their parents and some school staffers, 63 students at the Sky Academy in Englewood, Florida watched on the 18th of February as their little Sky Tracker pico balloon soared away from the earth with the help of hams from the Englewood Amateur Radio Society. Equipped to communicate via APRS, the balloon transmits such data as time, date, altitude, ascent, humidity, grid square - and of course its callsign, N4EAR-1.

The launch was a first for the students, who are in the school's STEM program - and it was the first partnership of its kind for the amateur radio society, said its president, Bill Reed, K7WWR. The students have been able to track its international journey on their smart phones and on a big screen in their classroom.

Bill told Newsline that the students aren't the only ones who have been immersed in this project. He said [quote]: "Our club members are very excitedly tracking the balloon. It has generated much excitement as we are wondering how our baby is doing. We are hoping for at least one circumnavigation of the globe." [endquote] At the time that Bill spoke to Newsline, the balloon was nearly over Africa and well on its way. That's a particular point of pride for the club's officers who supported this first-time collaboration with the school. It opens up the world, even as the little balloon soars high above it.