The National Aviation Hall of Fame is seeking entries for its 36th Annual A. Scott Crossfield Aerospace Education Teacher of the Year Award.
Founded in 1986 by famed research test pilot, the late A. Scott Crossfield, the award is a juried competition open to educators from grades kindergarten through twelfth grade in a public, private, parochial, charter school, or homeschool setting. Nominees can also be teachers in non-traditional learning environments. Nominations will be examined by a review committee of aerospace and education professionals for documentation of each nominees’ effectiveness, creativity, and ability to maintain high standards for their students and themselves with aerospace being the core subject matter or their curricula.
Scott Crossfield (1921-2006) was inducted into the NAHF in 1983 in recognition of his contributions as a naval aviator, aerospace engineer, and test pilot. Crossfield established the award to recognize dedicated and talented aerospace educators who; set high standards for students and demand excellence in performance; strive to improve their personal academic competence and teaching ability; perform their teaching duties in an exemplary manner, resulting in true learning by students; demonstrate creativity in developing and utilizing materials to enhance the teaching of aerospace; maximize student involvement and gear activities to improve learning or create and have developed a one-time project or program of such significance that it has a major impact on the teaching of aerospace education.
The Crossfield Aerospace Educator of the Year will receive their recognition in conjunction with the NAHF’s annual Enshrinement Dinner & Ceremony to be held the weekend of September 24th in Dayton, Ohio. The award will be presented by a NAHF Enshrinee. Presenters since Crossfield’s passing include Major General Joe Engle, USAF (Ret), Captain Robert “Hoot” Gibson, USN (Ret), and Major General Charles Bolden, USMC (Ret).
The 2021 Teacher of the Year is St. Paul educator Carline Little whose accomplishments span twenty years and include the development of complex and engaging science and space curriculum for students. Little uses significant and impactful experiences to elevate her teaching for the benefit of her students. In 2016 Little’s participation in NASA’s MgUE professional development program, which allows participants to learn and experience microgravity at Johnson Space Center, inspired her to become a NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge Mentor. In this role, Little led the St. Thomas Academy NASA Rover Team to become the top US High School Team in 2018/9. To learn more about the Crossfield Award or to apply, please visit: NAHF Crossfield
