For Immediate Release
May 18, 2009

AFA Announces Spring 2009 Civil Air Patrol Educator Grants Promoting Aerospace Education

Arlington, VA – The Air Force Association (AFA) today announced 20 recipients of the Civil Air Patrol Educator Grant for 2009, an education initiative funded by AFA and managed by the Civil Air Patrol Headquarters that encourages early interest in the aerospace field.

The grants, each $250, are provided to teachers who are members of either the Air Force Association or the Civil Air Patrol. This initiative promotes knowledge of aerospace power through classroom activities or materials that benefit the entire group of students. These grants will fund field trips to aerospace museums or Air Force bases, or be used for books, DVDs or videotapes that encourage interest in aerospace topics.

“AFA appreciates the contributions of these teachers, and their willingness to take this extra step to encourage an interest in aerospace topics,” said S. Sanford Schlitt, AFA’s Vice Chairman of the Board, Aerospace Education.

“Our future security and prosperity in many ways starts in the classroom, where the next leaders, tacticians and scientists develop,” said Mike Dunn, President of AFA.

AFA strongly advocates aerospace education and the development of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics as the foundational skills necessary to sustain U.S. airpower, national security and economic vitality.

Below are the grant recipients:

• Ann Autrey, River’s Edge High School, Richland, Washington
• Jim Bouscher, Ridgewood Middle School, West Lafayette, Ohio
• Russell Burwen, John W. Rogers Middle School, Rockland, Massachusetts
• Carla Chin, San Jose Catholic School, Jacksonville, Florida
• Reney Crochere, Medomak Middle School, Waldoboro, Maine
• Brandi DeSandro, New Brockton Elementary School, New Brockton, Alabama
• Susan Dunn, Springfield Local High School, New Middletown, Ohio
• Gina Eagerton, Bear Exploration Center, Montgomery, Alabama
• Terri Frost, DeQueen Mena Educational Cooperative, Gillham, Arkansas
• Reba Godfrey, Jack P. Timmons Elementary School, Shreveport, Louisiana
• Richard Godman, Legacy High School, Broomfield, Colorado
• John Heasley, Richland Center High School, Richland Center, Wisconsin
• Melissa Kissler, Northeast Nodaway High School, Ravenwood, Missouri
• Rick Krepps, Kings High School, Kings Mills, Ohio
• Mary Leusink, Sandhills Classical Christian School, Southern Pines, North Carolina
• Jason Marcks, Space Education Initiatives, DePere, Wisconsin
• Jessica McDaniel, Kramer Elementary School, Oxford, Ohio
• Jeffrey Rodriguez, Anderson High School, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Norman Smith, National Soaring Museum, Elmira, New York
• Jean Trusedell, Decatur Intermediate Learning Center, Indianapolis, IN

For more information on AFA grants and scholarships, contact: Lynette Cross at 703.247.5800 ext 4807 or lcross@afa.org.

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The AFA is a 501(C)(3), nonprofit organization promoting public understanding of aerospace power and the pivotal role it plays in the security of the nation. AFA has more than 200 chapters nationally and internationally representing 125,000 members. Visit AFA www.AFA.org.

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