Clone of 2026 TI Electives @HQ Application Form

Application for TI Balloons On The Road @Staten Island

Only complete this application if you are within commutable distance to the classroom site. No hotels or flights will be reimbursed for an On The Road session. NOTE: Applicants are only eligible for elective programs AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION of TI-1. Refer to our website page for updated information regarding Session Dates, Application Deadlines and Acceptance Dates. You must complete all 6 Sections of this digital application for this TI Elective. Direct all other questions regarding your application to the ead@arrl.org help desk.
Section 1 - Personal Information

Be sure to include contact information that we can use to communicate with you during school and summer months. Make sure the email address(es) you provide will accept emails from arrl.org.
Name*

First NameLast Name
Ham Radio Call Sign*
(Write N/A if you do not have one.)
Home Mailing Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Personal E-mail*
example@example.com
Personal Phone*
School E-mail*
example@example.com
The next amateur radio license I will be studying for is (Technician is the entry-level license):*
My unisex T-shirt size preference is: *
Emergency Contact: First Name*   Last Name*.
Relationship to TI Applicant: *
Emergency Contact Phone:Phone Number*

Section 2 – School or Institution Information
School District*
Please write "Home School" if applicable
School Phone*
Please enter a valid phone number.
School Federal Tax ID #
Leave blank if N/A
Name of School
Leave blank if N/A
School Mailing Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState

Zip Code
Grade levels offered at your school:Type a label* . Total number of students in school (all grade levels):* . Grade level(s) you teach: Type a label* . Subject(s) you teach:Type a label* . Total number of years of teaching experience: * . Extracurricular activities and clubs you lead/mentor: Type a label* . Please estimate the number of students involved in your STEM-related clubs and classes: *
Please select one of the following regarding your school.*

UrbanSuburbanRuralOther
Please select one of the following regarding your school.*

PublicParochialPrivateHome SchoolOther

Section 3 – Select TI Session Preferences
We will review applications and assign qualifying applicants to one of the sessions based on session preference, ability to attend, and travel distance. Please consider the options below (we suggest to confirm with all parties involved) and carefully determine whether you could attend each session as scheduled.

We do our best to match you with one of your most preferred sessions dates/local area and will not move you to a session you have indicated you cannot attend. If accepted to any TI session, ARRL reserves the right to reassign you to a different session you have indicated that you are able to attend with reasonable notice.

Please ensure your home email allows arrl.org email addresses to send you email. Check junk and spam folders.
I understand and agree that I am available to attend a TI Elective session located in Staten Island, NY from Jan 20- Jan 23 2026.*

Yes, I understand and agree to attend at this location during these dates if accepted.

Section 4 – Essay Questions
Successful completion of TI-1 is a prerequisite for any TI Elective.
1) What state was your TI-1 session held in?   Type a label*
2) What year did you attend TI-1?   Type a label*
3) What was the first name of your TI-1 instructor?    Type a label*
4) How have you used the content and materials gained in TI-1 or other TI Elective courses with your classroom, school club and/or school community already? (Give at least 2 examples)*
5) What specific knowledge do you hope to gain from the TI Elective(s) you are applying to this year? How is this knowledge relevant to your current teaching assignment?*
6) Where do you see yourself professionally in 3 years? In 5 years? (Short answer)*

Section 5 – Membership & Payment Information
If you are accepted, you will be sent a link to pay the $100 Application Fee.

This fee will grant you (1) one-year ARRL membership. If you are already a current paid member, we will add an additional year of membership to your membership expiration date. The $100 application fee also covers a 1-year PRINT subscription of On the Air or QST to share with students in your classroom library. ARRL membership will also grant you access to special teacher discount programs that you will be enrolled in for the year. Membership is non-refundable.

Approved expenses and instructional resources provided by the Teachers Institute are donated to the attendee for use with their students and are paid for by donations to the ARRL Education & Technology Program Fund, and do not come from ARRL membership dues.

Q: Is an ARRL membership required to attend a TI Elective?

YES, a current ARRL membership is required to be accepted into a TI Elective offering.

Q: Is an amateur radio license required to attend a TI Elective offering?

YES, it is required that participants have an amateur radio license (Technician Class or above) to attend any TI Elective offering.

There will be at least one free test session for TI participants in class.

Section 6 – TI Application Travel and Reimbursement Agreement
Only complete this application if you are within commutable distance to the classroom site. No hotels or flights will be reimbursed for an On The Road session.

APPROVED TRAVEL GUIDELINES FOR REINBURSEMENT:
- TRAVEL: Participants are expected to source, book and pay for travel rides/tickets that adhere to these guidelines up to $600 for travel based on guidelines below.
  - CAR EXPENSES: If a preapproved designated driver was given permission to rent a car, ARRL reimburses the rental car, gas and tolls with receipts. ARRL requires the driver to use their own insurance and will not cover any add-on policy offered by the rental company.
    
    Pre-approved designated drivers will be reimbursed milage for the car, and tolls with receipts.
    
    Any other unique car situation requires pre-approval and will be reimbursed via gas station receipts not milage.
  - Airfare/Train Tickets: ARRL reimburses round-trip vehicle gas expenses from your home to the airport/train station via google maps estimating up to 100 miles in total. We reimburse airport/train station parking with receipts. Please note that ARRL reimburses for an economy seat only. ARRL is not reimbursing for seat upgrades, priority seat selection, flight protection plans etc...
- HOTEL: If outside of daily commuting distances (45 minutes or less from TI site), participants will only book one room with the approved hotel booking link before the outlined cutoff date provided by an ARRL staff email. Reservations for additional days (more than 4 hotel nights for in-state participants or more than 5 hotel nights for out-of-state participants) will not be reimbursed. Reservations made at other hotels will not be reimbursed. It is the responsibility of the participant to reach out to ARRL staff with reimbursement or booking questions BEFORE hotel links expire. ARRL Teachers Institute is for professional development, therefore children/ families would not be appropriate at the Teachers Institute.
APPROVED ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE TIMES:
- Out of State Participants: Plan to arrive at the hotel in the afternoon/evening before the first day of your session. Do not schedule travel departure before 7:30 pm on the final day of the TI session. Early departures on the last day of the session to meet flight schedules are not acceptable, as important material is covered right up to the end of the final day.
- Participants who live within a 4-hour radius to the site: Plan to provide your own vehicle transportation and arrive at the hotel in the afternoon/evening before the first day of your session.
- Participants who have a 45-minute or less commute from home to the classroom: Do not book a hotel. Plan to commute daily to the session. You will be reimbursed for car mileage. Your meal per diem will only include lunch flat rates Monday-Thursday.
REIMBURSEMENT ELEGIBILITY GUIDELINES:

Failure to follow instructions or adhere to deadlines outlined in emails from ARRL staff may result in the attendee being responsible for the cost of lodging and/or transportation to and from their TI site. It is the responsibility of the participant to reach out to ARRL staff with questions regarding the above TI Application Travel and Reimbursement Agreement Section 6 before bookings.
1. Each participant must attend all days of Teachers Institute classroom activities from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We encourage teachers, if they feel comfortable, to take the opportunity to collaborate and communicate about STEM educational endeavors with fellow attendees.
2. Receipts are required to be submitted for hotel and travel expenses no more than 1 week after the conclusion of their TI session. No receipts for meals. Expect approximately 2-3 weeks to process your reimbursement.
3. A previously agreed upon rate/price/arrangement for travel expenses and plans in individual emails with ARRL Education Staff will supersede these rates. Contact our staff at ead@arrl.org if you have questions once accepted into a session.
4. Each participant must submit one original lesson plan related to STEM and radio concepts after attendance. AI generated lesson plans or evidence of plagiarism will not meet the requirements.
5. Each participant will complete a digital survey workshop evaluation at the conclusion of the workshop. They may be asked to provide feedback in the future about the TI training and resources provided and speak to their effectiveness in student learning.
Indicate your understanding of and agreement to the above conditions in Sections 1-6. You also agree to upload a brief Cover Letter on school letterhead stating your desire to attend, signed by you and a school administrator. I understand that I will not be considered for a TI invitation if I do not adhere to the TI Application Travel and Reimbursement Agreement. Incomplete or tardy applications will not be accepted. We will make every effort to notify you of our decision on your application and your session assignment by the Acceptance Date on our website by the home email address you provided. If you have not heard from us by the Acceptance Date on our website, please feel free to contact us via the email.*

Yes, I agree to the above statement/conditions and will upload a Cover Letter promptly.
Upload Cover Letter File here*

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Application for TI Balloons On The Road @Staten Island

Section 1 - Personal Information