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

 Registration is closed.

ACE numbers are in.

We've increased our numbers.

Let the celebrating begin.

Over 117,000 students

And 645 teachers

With 614 schools

What a super cool feature!

Thanks to all 

Who participated this year.

You are the BEST

That much is clear!

Remember to submit

ACE Awards for nominations.  

The due date is April 25.

Send in your recommendations.

Send in your nominations and pictures for the Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) awards to ace@capnhq.gov. Click the links below to go directly to the online forms to nominate deserving participants in CAP's K-6 grade-specific STEM program.

ACE Plus collaboration nominations due April 25

CAP adult and cadet members have adopted ACE classrooms this year and are eligible to submit an award nomination for consideration by April 25! 

• Several teachers in grades 5-8 who were a part of the ACE program had their classroom adopted by a local CAP squadron with adults and cadets coming to the school to teach ACE and other aerospace/STEM lessons.
• Squadron members mentored ACE students with airplanes, rockets, and career exploration and Cadet Program information! 
• NOW, it is time to recognize some collaborative ACE Plus program teams that submit an award package to adopt@capnhq.gov by the award deadline.
• You never know if your team will win if you do not submit an award nomination with photos of the team working together! 

Read about the two 2024 nationally-recognized ACE Plus collaborative squadron and school teams from Michigan and Florida. 

• Your team may not have had time to do all these teams did, but it is always worth making a submission to find out if YOUR squadron and classroom team will be one of the 2025 national ACE Plus winning teams!!
• ACE and ACE Plus program sponsor, the Air & Space Forces Association, will be providing the awards for the winning teams!  

(Pictured, one of the 2024 winning ACE Plus teams from Adrian Schools and Michigan CAP work together in the classroom)

Program update: AEM STEM Kit requests paused

AE Leaders:

As a reminder, we began pausing the fulfillment of STEM kit requests for AEMs as of April 1, with plans to resume Aug. 1, 2025.

What is the rationale behind this pause?

The challenge we face every year is limited funding, and we anticipate another record year for requests which we will be unable to fully fulfill. By pausing on April 1, we aim to conserve inventory during a period of generally lower demand.

How will this affect you?

This pause will only impact AEMs. All AEOs and Commanders will continue to have the ability to request STEM kits for their squadrons during this timeframe.

How can you help?

AEOs, please help facilitate communication by discussing this with your AEMs and being prepared to address any questions they may have.

If you have any further inquiries regarding this announcement, please do not hesitate to contact us (stem@capnhq.gov). We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding during this period and look forward to working with you to inspire the next generation of aerospace enthusiasts. 



Very Respectfully,

The Stem Kit Committee

National CAP High-Altitude Balloon Challenge for Cadets registration open until May 11

Congratulations, again, to the GLR-OH-131 Cuyahoga County Cadet Squadron, the 2024 winner of the Col Joe Kittinger Cup and $5,000 prize from Mrs. Kittinger in the national CAP AE High-Altitude Balloon Challenge for Cadets (HABC).

If you missed the notice last month, it is time now to prepare to register for the 2025 HABC! The registration link will be open until May 11. HABC team boxes will be shipped to the teams by May 16. Any squadron that is planning to have a team this year can begin researching the best science experiment(s) for their test tube. 

The HABC webpage and guidance will be updated with 2025 information by the end of April with due dates for all portions of the Challenge. One significant change this year is a longer time period to analyze the experiment data after the August balloon launch. 

Teachers: It's time to take flight with Civil Air Patrol

Any CAP member who is a formal or informal educator, whether in a squadron or not, is eligible for one TOP flight per fiscal year. With the onset of spring, NOW is a great time for teachers to fly over their schools and communities!

Teachers, to request a flight, contact your state’s volunteer Director of Aerospace Education (DAE) as found on the list HERE. Provide your CAP ID#, the city where you live, and your cell number to help them coordinate with their Operations team to get you a plane and pilot at an airport near you -- to get you into the air!

After a pre-flight briefing, teachers can try out the controls and fly the plane. The pilot can then come visit the classroom to carry on the experience. 

• Teachers, get your certificate signed by your pilot and do not forget to complete the easy online evaluation afterward.
•  Share some good photos with your pilot to ae@capnhq.gov and you may be featured in our publications. 

Wing DAEs, please note that the FY25 funds are loaded and ready for TOP flight coordination.  

(Pictured, 2024 National CAP Aerospace Teacher of the Year, Nancy Parra-Quinlan - also a major in the Arizona Wing - enjoyed her TOP flight with Arizona CAP pilot Capt. John Giddings.)

New AFA Squadron Cadet Award request process

Congratulations to New Mexico Wing's Cadet 1st Lt. Caleb Brock for his recognition with the AFA Award for Outstanding Squadron Cadet presented by Albuquerque AFA president, Fred Harsany!

Did you know that every cadet and composite squadron can make the same presentation to a hardworking and deserving cadet each year? 

• Squadron commanders, AEOs, or DCCs can now order the AFA award package in eServices! 
• As of April 11, the new materials process went live for quick ordering of this award package provided by the Air & Space Forces Association.
• Check to see if your squadron has ordered this annual award for 2025 on the list HERE. 

-- If not, see directions on the webpage and below to place an order to recognize an outstanding squadron cadet this year!

Directions as found on the AFA award page:

1) If not already ordered for 2025, place an order for your squadron’s award package using the link below.

2) Connect with your closest AFA squadron to request an AFA representative make the presentation (unless someone in the squadron is an AFA member).

a. If not already an AFA member and you desire to be, CAP members receive a complimentary two-year AFA eMembership by clicking HERE.

3) Prepare the downloadable award certificate for presentation.

4) Take photos and submit after-action report with photo of cadet, such as Cadet Brock.

5) Share your appreciation with your closest AFA chapter!  

(Pictured: SWR-NM-083, Albuquerque Heights Composite Squadron Cadet 1st Lt. Caleb Brock, with Albuquerque AFA Chapter 258 President, Fred Harsany, making award presentation)

Aerospace Education Excellence (AEX) Program

AEX Award registration for squadrons and AEMs:  

There is still time to make sure your squadron or classroom applies for the 2024-2025 AEX Award program in eServices. AEX program activities should take place from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30 each year. Activities and resources are available in eServices. Or you may use your own activities or lessons from a like-minded STEM education organization. AEX completion counts toward earning the Quality Cadet Unit Award as well as the Squadron AE Achievement Award.

To learn more about the AEX Program, click the link below. If you have any questions about AEX, please contact aex@capnhq.gov.

News and Events

CAP AEROSPACE EDUCATION SOCIAL MEDIA

Just a reminder: CAP Aerospace Education has joined social media forces with CAP NHQ! You can now follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/capnhq/

(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, 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.

Explore exciting updates to the Aerospace Education Excellence (AEX) program materials, now conveniently located in Absorb! You'll find a thoughtfully revised and expanded selection of lessons -- such as Aircraft Design Lab (pictured) -- all designed to spark curiosity and empower learners. These updated resources build upon the engaging core activities from our AEX books, offering even greater opportunities for active STEM learning, creative exploration, problem-solving, and engineering design. Absorb is accessible via eServices > Online Learning. Navigating Absorb to find lessons is simple – try searching with tags such as “30 minutes,” “leadership development,” “data analysis development,” “grades 5-8," or “aviation”! If you're new to Absorb, the resource linked here will guide you through accessing the lesson catalog, understanding AE searchable tags, and utilizing the new interactive presentations that enhance the lessons.

And if you're just starting with the AEX program itself, be sure to check out the AEX Launch Guide, a resource created to help Aerospace Education Members (AEMs) and Aerospace Education Officers (AEOs) understand the program's framework and build strong aerospace foundations for students and cadets. Get a preview of the transformative lesson approach by checking out Aircraft Design Lab. In this lesson, learners will utilize teamwork as they explore the aircraft design/manufacturing industry while competing in teams to design the best paper airplane in terms of flight performance and durability. The lesson is available in Absorb or by preview here. (Note: The new lessons are available online only and not in printed copies.)

Each month, this space features important highlights or answers to frequently asked questions. Here are four things you need to know as an AEM or AEO.

Are you a newly appointed Aerospace Education Officer? Congratulations! Check out this list of tips on how to get started and how to find help. Click the button to learn more.

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.

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