PA Cyber Chosen for St. Francis University Radio Telescope Network

Cyber student team selected for statewide STEM program

MIDLAND (November 7, 2025) – The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (PA Cyber) has been selected as one of six schools to participate in St. Francis University’s (SFU) radio telescope project. SFU’s outreach project among secondary schools involves establishing a radio telescope observatory network for Pennsylvania to prepare youth for a competitive workforce and to encourage innovation throughout the region, all while fostering excitement about space exploration. SFU has received grant funding from the Palumbo Charitable Trust to support the initiative.

“This project gives PA Cyber students opportunities to excel academically, professionally, and personally through real space investigations,” said Jolene Frazell, PA Cyber’s Supervisor of STEM Enrichment. “It aligns with the PA Cyber Polytechnic Department’s mission to inspire lifelong exploration and discovery.”

The PA Cyber team includes five STEM-focused high school students — Aubrey Clark, Izabella Clark, William Duvall, Elizabeth Kelly, and Levi Seamone — guided by staff advisors Jolene Frazell, William Knopsnider, and McKayla Stoddart. Participants meet regularly at PA Cyber’s Greensburg location.

SFU provided each participating high school with a NASA radio telescope kit. While the observatories can be built by high school students with modest oversight from adults, SFU faculty and PA Cyber advisors support the assembly and testing of the kit.

“I’m excited to collaborate with PA Cyber students on this initiative,” said Dr. Timothy Miller, SFU’s Associate Professor of Engineering. “This project allows high schoolers to do more than just learn about space science—they’ll become active participants in real research and engineering, sparking interest and confidence in future STEM careers.”

Participating students attend lectures from SFU faculty on astronomy, radio astronomy, electromagnetic antenna theory, and signal processing, and have regular virtual and in-person meetings with university faculty.

Radio telescopes allow for the study of solar flares that occur several times each year. According to NASA, solar flares can create radiation storms capable of disrupting satellites, communications systems, and power grids.

PA Cyber will retain the telescope beyond the initial project to give more students and staff an opportunity to enhance their understanding of the capabilities of radio telescopes. They can log into the telescope remotely to access data, allowing for schoolwide access.

Media Contact

Jennie Harris / jennie.harris@pacyber.org

About PA Cyber

Serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade, the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School is the longest-operating online public school in Pennsylvania. PA Cyber’s online learning environments, personalized instructional methods, and curricula choices connect Pennsylvania students and families with state-certified and highly qualified teachers and rich academic content aligned to state standards. Founded in 2000, PA Cyber is headquartered in Midland (Beaver County) and maintains a network of support offices throughout the state. As a public school, PA Cyber is open for enrollment to any school-age child residing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.