KTBS Junior Weather Watchers and AcuRite
A partnership between AcuRite and the KTBS Weather Watchers program started in 2017. The news station has an ongoing program where community members can take a class on severe weather every spring, and sign up to contribute to the daily weather report by submitting their backyard weather data. Now, with the help of AcuRite weather stations, this weather data is automatically transferred to the weather map for use on-air.
More recently, the AcuRite and KTBS partnership has also translated to the KTBS Junior Weather Watchers program. Traditionally, this has been a program for kids to draw a weather picture and send into the weather team. As of the last few years, they have become more involved with the community by visiting schools for a weather day event. What better way to get kids interested in the weather than having their very own weather station setup at their school?! So in 2018, AcuRite donated 12 weather stations to KTBS for school give-a-ways throughout the 2018/2019 school year. KTBS asked students in the community to nominate their favorite teachers for the drawing for a weather station. For the 2018/2019 school year, KTBS gave away six AcuRite 5in1 weather stations with lightning detectors. In addition to the give-a-way, the winning schools got a visit from KTBS meteorologist Joe Haynes for a big weather day presentation, with weather activities. Check out some of the events from fall 2018 such as the winners from Stanly Elementary and Mansfield Middle School.
These classes plan to install the weather stations on their campuses and track their hyper-local weather conditions by using the display in their classroom and the My AcuRite website. Stay tuned for updates on the lucky winners of the weather station give-a-ways and how the students are learning about weather by using the weather data measured right at their school. The great news is KTBS has saved six weather stations to extend this program into the 2019/2020 school year!
Pictured: Students from NSU Elementary Lab (5th Graders, Ms. Jessie Church, Natchitoches, LA) and Students from Waller Elementary (3rd Graders, Ms. Ashley Woods, Bossier City, LA).
