GENTRY, AR — A student-led idea is now helping improve severe weather monitoring across Northwest Arkansas.
The Gentry School District has partnered with KHBS/KHOG-TV 40/29 to install a 40/29 Skycam on the roof of the district’s auditorium. The live camera will provide real-time views of approaching weather systems, assisting Chief Meteorologist Darby Bybee and the station’s weather team in tracking potentially dangerous storms moving toward Gentry and surrounding communities.
The project began with a simple FaceTime call from Gentry students Madson Holland and Devin Lee to Bybee. What started as a conversation quickly evolved into a collaborative effort involving station engineers and district administrators.
Madson and Devin developed the project through the school's EAST Program, a unique, student-led learning experience that blends service, technology, and real-world problem solving.
Madson said his interest in weather stems from a personal experience.
“A couple of years ago, my aunt's house got demolished by a tornado. I had so many memories in that house. And seeing everything thrown around is devastating for me. So that's what got me in the weather,” Holland said.
Lee emphasized the project’s broader impact on community safety.
“We can help people so they could get to safety quick, and just to alert people,” Lee said.
The two students led the effort from start to finish, coordinating emails, organizing site visits, and working closely with both 40/29’s engineering team and school district leadership to ensure the installation became a reality.
The installation process was documented by Gentry Middle School’s sixth-grade drone team — Angel Servillon, Hayes Holland, Carter Williams, and Walker Scates — using the Sky View drone to capture aerial footage of the Skycam being mounted atop the auditorium.
District leaders say the partnership reflects the power of student initiative and real-world learning. Through collaboration and determination, the students not only launched a successful project but also created a resource that will help inform and protect the wider Northwest Arkansas community during severe weather events.