THIS MONTH: Program updates - News and Events - AE Safety Check - Curriculum - Important things to know about membership

As the 2025-2026 school year comes to a close, it’s time to celebrate the incredible work happening in our ACE and ACE Plus classrooms. Don’t miss this opportunity to recognize the dedication and impact of your students, teachers, squadrons, and school community.

Nominations are open for two more weeks for the 2025-2026 National ACE Awards, including:

• ACE Teacher of the Year
• ACE Student of the Year
• ACE School of the Year
• ACE Plus Collaboration Award

To access the ACE nomination forms, click HERE and choose the appropriate option under "Related Links" on the right side of the page. Completed nomination packets must be submitted to ace@capnhq.gov  no later than April 25.

To access the ACE Plus nomination forms, click HERE and choose the ACE Plus Award Information and Nomination Form on the right side of the page under "Resources." Completed nomination packets must be submitted to adopt@capnhq.gov no later than April 25.

As we wrap up the year, please remember to submit your ACE Completion Report and/or your ACE Plus Program Evaluation Form. Your feedback is essential in helping strengthen and improve the program for future participants. 

1. Click HERE to access the ACE Completion online form and be sure to have your CAP ID number and password ready to log in to eServices.
2. Click HERE to access the ACE Plus Program Evaluation form in the "Resources" section on the right side of the page.

Thank you for your commitment, creativity, and passion for ACE. Your efforts make a meaningful difference, and we truly appreciate your involvement this year!



(Pictured: Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Winston Scott, a former NASA astronaut, greets a student at the 2024-2025 ACE School of the Year, Florida College Academy in Temple Terrace, Florida.)

Registration now open for 6th Annual National

High-Altitude Balloon Challenge for Cadets

Registration is now open for CAP Aerospace Education’s sixth annual Col. Joe Kittinger CAP National Aerospace High‑Altitude Balloon Challenge for Cadets. The registration deadline is midnight May 18 in the registrant’s local time zone — late entries will not be accepted.

Any cadet or composite squadron may register for this national STEM challenge at no cost. 

Teams work to select one or more science experiments to test the effects of high altitude on that experiment to determine how humans can live and work in space. The experiments will be launched to the edge of the stratosphere in high-altitude weather balloons. For this year, we have reduced the number of required video submissions from two to one. This will give squadrons more time to work on other aspects of the robust program while still creating a post-launch video

Details are available on the High-Altitude Balloon Challenge webpage, or click the direct link to registration below. Please address questions to hab@capnhq.gov. We look forward to another year of launching science to the stratosphere!

It's not too late to earn the 2025-2026 AEX award

AEX Award registration and completion for squadrons and AEMs:  

There is still time to make sure your squadron or classroom applies for the 2025-2026 AEX Award program in eServices. AEX program activities should take place from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30 each year. You can retroactively fill in any of these lessons and experiences you conducted with cadets or students from Oct. 1, 2025 through today's date and add any other needed activities that occur through September to get to the total of six activities plus a two-hour field experience. Activities and resources are available to members in Absorb LMS or in the curriculum booklets received from CAP. Or you may use your own activities or lessons from a like-minded STEM education organization. The group and each participant will receive a certificate upon completion of the program. Teachers, these certificates are great for end-of-year awards days.

To learn more about the AEX Program, click the link below.

News and Events

Scholarships available for senior members

Seniors – did you know that there are scholarships available to you? [There are!] All eligible senior members are encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities. They are:

• The Cooper Scholarship: Training and Mission-Related Education, including, but not limited to, AEO schools
• The Colonel Carolyn Guertin Scholarship: It aims to provide financial assistance to CAP members and their families to ensure that they have the opportunity to pursue their educational goals.
• The Dr. Mark Kulucka Scholarship: Graduate Studies Support

The scholarship application period for 2026 is now open. This year, instead of three separate application periods, all senior member scholarships will run concurrently. The links to apply, as well as additional information about each of the scholarships can be found at the link below.

Capture the moment: We need your STEM photos

The Aerospace Education team is looking for high-quality photos of squadrons and classrooms engaging with AEX lessons, ACE activities, and STEM Kits. These images are vital for our promotional materials, national impact statements, and new educational materials. Your students' hard work could be the face of CAP AE!

What we’re looking for:

• Action Shots: Students and cadets actively working on kits or lessons
• Teaching Shots: AEOs and AEMs leading activities and interacting with students
• Engagement: Candid moments of discovery and teamwork
• Variety: Photos from both classrooms and squadron meetings

Important Reminder: Please ensure that any youth pictured have a signed media release on file and that guardians have granted permission for their images to be shared publicly.

Ready to share? Please send your high-resolution photos to ae@capnhq.gov. Please put "AE photos" in the subject line.

(Featured: Photos from TX-035)

(Welcome to AE Safety Check - things to consider as you lead or participate in an Aerospace Education activity. The writer of this monthly feature is Lt. Col. Karen Cooper, National AE Manager, who works in safety and risk management on the AE National Headquarters Staff and is also the Northeast Region DCS/Aerospace Education.)

If you have a safety topic you would like to be included in this space, please email kcooper@ner.cap.gov.

Are you a cybersecurity professional or enthusiast? CAP’s Aerospace Education team is preparing a comprehensive update to our Introduction to Cybersecurity resource, and we need your expertise!

While we are maintaining our successful focus on the historical events and figures that shaped the industry, we are looking to modernize the text with:

• Modern Case Studies: Synopses of threats and hacks from 2010 to today that have shaped the industry
• Expanded Career Paths: Guidance for the next generation of cyber professionals
• Digital Citizenship: A new chapter on protecting digital footprints and practicing tech safety
• Interactive Learning: New activities to help cadets sharpen their skill sets and deepen their understanding of cyber interventions

What the Collaboration Entails:



This is an independent, flexible volunteer opportunity. Reviewers will:

1. Audit the Current Text: Review the working file for grammatical errors or outdated technical information linked at the button below​​
2. Develop Content: Research and draft first-pass content for one of the expansion areas listed above
3. Collaborate: Communicate via email and occasional Teams syncs with the NHQ Project Lead

Timeline: We are aiming for initial feedback and new content drafts by Aug. 1, 2026.



Interested? If you have the capacity to help shape this vital resource, please reach out to Gina Zoller, AE Curriculum Developer and Editor at gzoller@capnhq.gov  to learn more! 

All Aerospace Education Members (AEMs) are offered an annual FREE “in-kind renewal." The online renewal email is sent 60 days prior to the membership expiration date. A renewal banner appears at the top of the eServices sign-in page 90 days prior to expiring. (You can’t renew earlier than 90 days.) Find additional information at the link below.

AEOs, reach out to your AEMs whose memberships expire within 60 days or whose memberships have expired. For more guidance, see Recruiting and Retention of AEMs on the AEO Resources page link below.

Please note: CAP has several categories of membership, but each member can only be assigned one category of membership. Any adult uniformed member, who is an educator, may access all the resources available to an AEM. 

Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education

Contact: Aerospace Education

https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/ae