{"id":26400,"date":"2023-08-14T20:02:23","date_gmt":"2023-08-14T20:02:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saj.pachecostudios.com?p=26400"},"modified":"2023-08-14T20:02:24","modified_gmt":"2023-08-14T20:02:24","slug":"1-million-investment-in-aero-education-by-oklahoma-aeronautics-oklahoma-leads-the-nation-again-for-aviation-high-schools-in-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/state-news\/oklahoma\/1-million-investment-in-aero-education-by-oklahoma-aeronautics-oklahoma-leads-the-nation-again-for-aviation-high-schools-in-2023\/%20","title":{"rendered":"$1 Million Investment in Aero Education by Oklahoma Aeronautics; Oklahoma Leads the Nation Again for Aviation High Schools in 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Photo above – The Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission AERO Education program has been recognized twice by the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), enjoying a positive reputation for investing millions in aerospace and aviation education programs statewide. The commission approved grants totaling $502,885 on Wednesday, Aug. 9, and will provide over $1 million in total to AOPA schools, aerospace programs, and aviation-centric organizations during the FY2024 budget year.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a state where Oklahoma\u2019s education institutions vectored\nthe brilliant minds of aviation greats such as Bessie Coleman, Dr. Shannon\nLucid, Tom Stafford, Gordon Cooper, William R Pogue, Geraldyn Cobb, John\nHerrington, Pearl Carter Scott, and many others, aero education in Oklahoma is\nnot only rooted in the red dirt of our 77 counties, it is comparable to a\n100-year old tree with a great wind beneath its canopy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What was once an aviation sapling in 1911 when Clyde Cessna\nbuilt and flew his first airplane, “Silverwing,” on the Great Salt\nPlains near Jet, Oklahoma, has evolved into a strong oak tree which has grown\nsignificant roots throughout the state to become what is known as our second\nleading industry, aerospace and defense, with $44B of annual economic\nimpact.  Today\u2019s industry successes have\nnot been without challenges, however. The industry\u2019s biggest challenge, not\njust in Oklahoma, but across the Country, is finding quality workforce to\nsupport, sustain, and grow the industry for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These challenges led aerospace and aviation education to\nbecome one of the Aeronautics Commission\u2019s top priorities in the early 2000s,\nand since that time the Commission has provided $4.6 million in aerospace and\neducation funding to organizations and programs throughout the state. The\nagency has been given the prodigious responsibility to inspire young minds and\nguide them toward aerospace careers. During the 2023 legislative session,\nSenate Bill 930 established the Aero Student Pathways for Aerospace Careers and\nEducation (AeroSPACE) program to help the agency double-down on its Aero\neducation efforts. The legislation directed the agency to address the workforce\nneeds of the aviation and aerospace industry by promoting and implementing\nquality aerospace educational curriculum statewide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the apparent need for additional workforce in the aerospace and defense industry continuing to grow, the Aeronautics Commission adopted its largest ever Aero Education Program for FY 2024 with an overall program eclipsing $1M. In addition to the over $500,000 worth of competitive grant awards approved during their August meeting, the Commission awarded funds to all Oklahoma high schools teaching the AOPA \u201cYou Can Fly\u201d<\/a> curriculum to provide supplies and professional development opportunities. The Commission also approved $125,000 in funding for the development or improvement of classroom laboratories dedicated to teaching aviation and aerospace programs. Lastly, the Commission approved the continuation of the agency\u2019s four major aerospace education events which include Oklahoma Student Pilot Day, and Oklahoma UAS Teacher Training and Awareness Conference, the Oklahoma AERO Education Training and Professional Development Symposium, and Oklahoma Superintendents Aviation Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am so proud that the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission is\nequipping students with the training and resources they need to pursue a future\nin our state\u2019s second-largest industry,\u201d said Oklahoma Secretary of\nTransportation Tim Gatz. \u201cOklahoma has a rich history in aerospace and\naviation, and I am glad to see the continued investments that make us Top Ten\nin this growing field.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The agency\u2019s Aerospace and Aviation Education Grant Program<\/a> has been awarding aerospace and aviation education grants for over 30 years.\u00c2\u00a0 This year\u2019s seventy-one organizations that were awarded Aerospace and Aviation Education Program grants totaling $502,885 during the Commission\u2019s August meeting set another record. Grants are awarded to organizations that conduct targeted learning programs with a direct application to aerospace and aviation for primary through post-secondary education. Programs that are supported range from 4-year high school curriculum such as the AOPA \u201cYou Can Fly\u201d effort, summer camps offered by major universities, drone racing competitions, a 2-year high school curriculum dedicated to teaching aircraft mechanics, after-school STEM activities, tours at various airports across the system, and many others. These programs will reach nearly 50,000 students across the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aerospace and Defense is a significant economic engine in\nthe state with over 1,100 companies providing 120,000 direct jobs.  For commerce and communities across Oklahoma\na safe, reliable, and economically viable air transportation system is critical.  Oklahoma\u2019s airports are not just critical to\nthat air transportation mission, but they are also key to unlocking the\nawareness and passion behind our state\u2019s available aerospace careers. The\nCommission regularly connects AOPA schools, Aero Education Grant recipients,\nand other aviation minded programs to our airports and those passionate\naviators to help inspire young students as well as adult Oklahomans to choose\naviation and aerospace as a possible career path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Oklahoma legislature and our state leaders are\ncertainly driving what we are calling a renaissance for aerospace and aviation,\nbut Oklahoma\u2019s educators in the classrooms are the professionals helping to\nvector these young minds towards an aerospace career,\u201d said State Director of\nAeronautics Grayson Ardies.  \u201cWhether\nit\u2019s Oklahoma\u2019s continued #1 ranking with 80+ schools teaching the AOPA high\nschool curriculum, our award-winning Aero education program, or the host of\nindustry partners we work with, Oklahoma has never been better positioned to\nturn today\u2019s students into tomorrow\u2019s aerospace workforce.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aerospace and Defense is the state\u2019s fastest growing\nindustry, but in order to continue on the current growth trajectory the\nindustry will need a capable workforce to staff new jobs and replace those\nupcoming retirements over the next several decades. \u201cIn my 40 years in public\neducation I never experienced anything as remarkable as the tremendous growth\nof aviation education that has taken place in Oklahoma schools in the past few\nyears,\u201d said Paula Kedy, Aerospace and Aviation Education Coordinator for the\nagency. \u201cI am so proud to have the opportunity to work with teachers and entities\nacross the state that are committed to providing strong aviation STEM\nopportunities for students.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n