The AOPA Foundation, which offers a free high school aviation STEM curriculum to more than 1,400 schools across the country, will visit three Tennessee cities over the next month to introduce the program to educators and school leaders. The goal is to expand access to STEM and aviation education statewide.
In partnership with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Aeronautics Division, the AOPA Foundation’s You Can Fly team will host events in Knoxville, Memphis, and Murfreesboro to help schools launch new aviation programs. The AOPA Foundation’s four-year curriculum is free and offers engaging, hands-on lessons that help students understand aviation and inspire them to pursue it.
“This program enables teachers to open the eyes and minds of students to the exciting, rewarding, and well-paying careers available in aviation and aerospace,” said You Can Fly Vice President Dan Justman. “Since its launch in 2017, we’ve seen incredible growth and interest, including from schools in Tennessee. This school year, we’ll serve our 100,000th student as part of the program.”
“Tennessee has a strong and rising aviation industry,” said TDOT Aeronautics Director J.P. Saalwaechter. “From FedEx in Memphis to Cirrus in Knoxville—and everywhere in between—AOPA providing this curriculum at no cost to Tennessee schools will empower students to pursue incredible career paths that may not have been possible otherwise.”
The program is made possible thanks to generous donors to the AOPA Foundation, which ensures that any school or district can implement the program.
“Our donors see tremendous value in investing in the next generation of aviation professionals—whether they pursue careers as pilots, mechanics, engineers, dispatchers, or other roles,” said AOPA Foundation Senior Vice President Elizabeth Tennyson. “By offering the curriculum at no cost, we remove a major barrier to entry and make it possible for any student to be part of a high-quality aviation program with practical, hands-on lessons.”
AOPA and TDOT will visit three locations during the tour:
Tuesday, August 26 Hilton Knoxville Airport Alcoa, TN Hosted in partnership with Cirrus
Tuesday, September 9 FedEx Experience Center Memphis, TN Hosted by FedEx
Friday, September 12 Murfreesboro Municipal Airport Murfreesboro, TN Hosted in partnership with Middle Tennessee State University
There is no cost to attend but registration is encouraged. STEM and CTE educators, administrators, education officials, aviation professionals, airport managers, business leaders, and state legislators are all encouraged to attend.
