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This month we celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. As a resource for AEOs and AEMs in squadrons and classrooms, we have an Asian American Pacific Islander Lessons page on our website that highlights accomplishments of Asian Pacific Americans in aerospace/STEM fields and provides links to educational materials on the subject.
May is also National Teacher Appreciation Month. See our teacher appreciation video highlighting AEOs and AEMs here. Thank you, educators!
As the school year winds down, it's time to celebrate outstanding achievement in two of our programs: Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) and ACE Plus, a squadron/classroom partnership program. In the Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) program, we salute excellence with the National ACE Awards. Excellence in the ACE Plus program is recognized as well. The winners are announced in this newsletter.
Our member stories this month highlight members from the Northeast Region and Alabama. If you know of other outstanding member stories of AEOs or AEMs, we hope you will reach out to us at ae@capnhq.gov. Your story could be the next one told!
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THIS MONTH: Member stories - Program updates - AE Safety Check - Events - Curriculum - Important things to know | |
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PROGRAM UPDATES
2022 National ACE and ACE Plus Adopt awards announced
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Each year, nominations are submitted for the National Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) program awards: National ACE School, Teacher, and Student of the Year. ACE Plus Adopt program top collaborative team nominations were submitted this year, as well. Additionally, as is warranted, the AE team considers some special awards identified by photos and reports sent to AE during the year as program updates.
Click HERE to find out who won the 2022 ACE and ACE Plus Adopt Awards. Congratulations to all the winners!
The National ACE School of the Year will host the 2022-2023 National ACE Lift-off Event next October! Find out where that will be HERE!
- ACE is designed for grades K-6, but can accommodate K-8.
- The ACE Plus Adopt program is designed for grades 5-8.
- We hope to see YOUR students’ faces as a part of ACE next school year!
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CAP's AE STEM Kit Program -- featured kit | |
FEATURED STEM KIT - FLIGHT SIMULATOR: The Flight Simulator STEM Kit includes yoke, rudder pedals and software. The software component of the kit includes Lockheed Martin's Prepar3D v4.5 with a downloadable product code (no disc required). Applicants will need to have access to internet services in order to run the software. NOTE: Computers are not included in this kit. Computers need to be equipped with gaming/graphic software to utilize this kit. Microsoft Windows operating system is required to run this program. For additional information about system requirements, please view this link before applying: Read more. This kit is recommended for ages 7 and older. | |
STEM kit application, evaluation instructional videos are available to assist AEOs and AEMs | |
Are you applying for or evaluating a CAP STEM Kit? New step-by-step videos are available to assist with both the application and evaluation processes in the STEM Kit program. The evaluation video also shows the steps to upload photos of the cadets and students working with the kits. These photos help promote the program's impact, and we hope you will submit them with your evaluations. Click the links below to view the videos. | |
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Funding for CAP Unit Grants has been generously restored by CAP partner in aerospace/STEM education, the Air and Space Forces Association (AFA).
- Note the new AFA name and logo which embraces both USAF Airmen and the U.S. Space Force Guardians.
CAP AE officers can now submit an application for a $250 grant to promote AE and STEM within their cadet or composite units.
- If the squadron desires to also share their project with youth outside the squadron, collaboration is a plus!
- Grants can fund aerospace field trips, STEM outreach events, or equipment/materials for special STEM projects.
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Applications are due by midnight (Central time) June 30. The application is found HERE.
- The summer grant cycle will result in competitively-selected unit projects being funded.
- All applicants will be notified by mid July whether or not the project was selected to be funded.
All details are found at the link below.
Pictured: Cadets from the SER-AL-032 Maxwell Composite Squadron conduct outreach programs for local youth.
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(Welcome to AE Safety Check! These safety nuggets are things to think about as you lead or participate in an Aerospace Education activity. The writer of this monthly feature is Lt. Col. Karen Cooper, who works in safety and risk management on the AE National Headquarters Staff and is also the Northeast Region DCS/Aerospace Education.)
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DON'T MISS THE SAFETY BASICS IN THE DETAILS OF YOUR AE ACTIVITY
When you are planning the safety portion of your next AE activity, don’t miss the basics. We all tend to get focused on the major components of our activity, but there is actually more. For example, keep an eye out for tripping hazards, including power cables, extension cords, loose rugs, and any item that someone may have placed on the floor. You also want to check your equipment for sharp edges that people could get a cut from, above and beyond the use of scissors and X-Acto knives. Checking for those sharp edges can be tricky. Some people run their hand along that edge to see if anything is sharp, and if there is, they get cut themselves. Please be extra careful for this one.
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If you have a safety topic you would like to be included in this space, please email kcooper@ner.cap.gov.
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Deadline extended, slots available for Cadet Engineering Technology Academy at MTSU | |
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Spots remain available for this summer’s Civil Air Patrol National Cadet Engineering Technology Academy (E-Tech), set for June 26 through July 2 on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville.
Lt. Col. Robert Gilbert, the activity director, said the academy has extended its application deadline to today, May 31 in hopes that additional cadets will take advantage of the unique educational experience.
Gilbert said cadets will stay in MTSU residence halls and attend classes taught by university faculty members from Aerospace, Engineering Technology, Physics and Astronomy, Data Science and Mechatronics. The academy also features leadership activities from MTSU’s Army ROTC program, as well as a seminar led by retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Huber, the university’s senior advisor for veterans and leadership initiatives.
This year is set to be the fourth time MTSU has hosted the academy. It was suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. MTSU and CAP have been partners in aerospace education for cadets since 2014.
The $395 cost for the week-long event includes housing and dining on campus, as well as other activities. Cadets must be 15 years or older to participate in the academy and must have completed a cadet encampment previously. Go to ncsas.com (the button below) for the link to apply for the academy through CAP’s eServices Registration and Payment System. Read more here.
Pictured: Cadets engage in a hands-on robotics experience during the mechatronics presentation at the 2017 Civil Air Patrol National Cadet Engineering Technology Academy on the MTSU campus (MTSU file photo)
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AEO STORY
NER DCS/AE, a 50-year CAP member, continues to be fascinated by STEM/AE
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Meet Lt. Col Karen Cooper, Northeast Region Deputy Chief of Staff/Aerospace Education, among many other duties. She joined CAP as a cadet in Rhode Island in 1971 and is a 50-year CAP member. She was immediately fascinated by the Aerospace Education aspect of the Cadet Program. As DCS/AE, one of her responsibilities is training AEOs to get their Technician Rating in AE. "The comments I get after the training is complete, coupled with the appreciation from people who achieve that rating because of something I did, is a great feeling," she says. In addition to multiple duties in her region and wing (Rhode Island), she also serves on the National AE Volunteer Staff in a number of roles, including AE assistant manager, and is involved in the areas of AE safety and AE professional development. She has written numerous safety briefings for AE (available on the AE website) and is the developer of the "AE Safety Check" feature in each monthly National AE Newsletter. She has recently retired from a safety-focused career. "For over 41 years, I was a Systems Engineer specializing in System Safety for the United States Navy as a civilian before retiring," she says, "and for a portion of that time, I was a supervisor of the safety group." She served as a member of teams who were writing or updating Joint Services safety standards that are still in use. She enjoys inspiring youth in aerospace/STEM subjects because she wants them to have as much fun as she always enjoyed with AE/STEM topics. "A few years ago, I suddenly realized that I am STEM. Between my college degrees, my profession, my interests and my hobbies, I have actively been part of all four letters in STEM." Click the link below to read her full story.
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"I love it when the cadets come back to visit and talk about their CAP experience and how it influences them today. More than once, it includes the impact that the seniors had on their lives."
-- Lt. Col. Karen Cooper, NER DCS/AE
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AEM STORY
Alabama AEM sees CAP STEM resources
benefit students in the rural area she serves
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Meet Emily Gregory, gifted specialist at Pine Level Elementary School in rural Autauga County, Alabama. She realized right before she graduated with an undergraduate business degree that her heart was really with working with children. Since that decision, she has been a gifted specialist for 22 years, working with grades 2-6 in different systems. She became a CAP AEM two years ago in order to help her students gain exposure to STEM/STEAM materials. "I was on the STEAM committee at my school, and we decided that the resources that are offered were a great resource for all of the students at Pine Level Elementary School," she says. "As a committee, we all joined CAP. I lead and organize the yearly sign-ups and materials when they are delivered to the school." This year, she organized a project in which her gifted students learned how to use CAP's Bee-Bot & Code & Go Mouse STEM Kit and then taught other students and their teachers how to use the program. "The collaboration between the students teaching and the students learning was phenomenal," she says. "They were learning from each other and completely engaged." Click the link below to read her full story.
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"The Civil Air Patrol’s STEM Kit program provides STEM resources for hands-on and inquiry-based learning. The materials encourage students to problem-solve, think critically and be creative."
-- Emily Gregory, Alabama AEM
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CURRICULUM SPOTLIGHT
Plane Art
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In this lesson, students will identify and define four parts of a plane: cockpit, wings, fuselage and tail. Then, they will practice flying their own balsa glider. The activity is Academic Lesson #3 in the Grade 1 Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) Guide. As part of CAP's ACE Program, all teachers get class sets of education materials to provide them to each student. The-first grade class set is the balsa glider, and teachers will use those in this lesson. Find the Plane Art lesson plan here. See a video presentation of this lesson (here or by clicking the image above) in CAP's Aerospace at Your Pace video series.
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Each month, this space features important highlights or answers to frequently asked questions. Here are three things you need to know now as an AEM or AEO.
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You can update your eServices profile information. Here's how: | |
Sign into eServices and click on your name in the top right hand corner. Update your email address, mailing address, contact numbers, etc. This ensures you receive timely and pertinent information from CAP. If you are a teacher, ensure your primary email address is your home and your secondary email address is your school so that your annual renewal email and any other important information will not end up as spam in your school email account.
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AEMs: Is it time to renew your membership? | |
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. Thinking that due to the pandemic you cannot participate in CAP’s AE programs? That may be partly true, but when we get back to “normal,” you will wish you kept your membership current, so do not let it expire!
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AEOs: Reach out to AEMs whose memberships expire soon | |
AEOs, this is the perfect time to 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. And, we wish to encourage our AEMs to “hang on” until the end of the pandemic and continue renewing their membership. Once things are back to “normal,” they will be glad they did!
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Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education
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