On Wednesday, October 28, 55 educators, CTE directors, and aviation experts gathered at the Hickory Aviation Museum for the first teacher convening of the AAERO (Advancing Aviation Education and Rural Opportunities) Network.
This event was designed for professionals looking to increase student awareness of aviation career pathways, build connections with fellow STEM educators, and utilize Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) resources to support career exploration and classroom learning.
The day kicked off with a keynote from retired United States Navy Rear Admiral and naval aviator, Admiral JT Tynch. Admiral Tynch leads the student aviation program at First in Flight High School in Dare County, North Carolina. Under his guidance, students at First in Flight recently built the first airplane in the Outer Banks since the Wright Brothers.
In his keynote Admiral Tynch spoke on his childhood in rural eastern North Carolina, and the impact that the county bookmobile had on him. It was from that bookmobile that Admiral Tynch checked out a book about the Lafayette Escadrille, igniting his passion for aviation. He encouraged educators to give their students their own “butterfly effect,” moments, small actions that could ignite lifelong passions.
“I’ve had 31 graduates come through the aviation program, and to see what they’ve done after graduating high school has been amazing,” Admiral Tynch said. “It’s just incredible, and it really is the butterfly effect. We’ve had an opportunity through Dare County Schools’ decision to begin this aviation program, and now we’re opening windows for people to see careers out there for them that they may have never considered before. It’s sparked a lot of passion in these young men and women, and they’re pursuing it now post graduation.”
Following the keynote, the group split off into small groups for workshops and a tour of the aviation museum. In the museum, participants visited 25 different aircraft exhibits, including a jet flown by the Blue Angels and the iconic SuperCobra helicopter.
In the workshops led by EAA AeroEducate staff, educators learned how to facilitate several aviation-inspired activities in their classrooms. One activity had participants demonstrate the magnus effect by taping two coffee cups together and launching them with a rubber band. Another activity had educators create hovercrafts with balloons and CDs. All of the activities demonstrated were designed for teachers to take back to their classrooms and share with their students and other STEM educators.
The day wrapped up with a survey and closing session, where educators provided valuable feedback on the day and ideas for shaping future aviation education initiatives.
To learn more about the AAERO Network, visit https://ruralpromise.appstate.edu/nc-rural-education-collaborative/aaero/.
