For Immediate Release
March 2, 2012

AFA Announces Spring 2012 JROTC Instructor Grants

Arlington, VA – The Air Force Association (AFA) today announced the 10 recipients of the Spring 2012 Air Force Junior ROTC Instructor Grants, an AFA education initiative promoting the development of aerospace professionals.

The grants, each up to $250, are provided to instructors of Air Force Junior ROTC units throughout the country. This initiative promotes knowledge of aerospace power and aviation education through classroom activities or materials. Funds may be used for any aerospace education-related activity, from purchasing textbooks or videotapes to field trips to an aerospace museum, Air Force base or other aerospace facilities.

“Every year we feel privileged to be able to sponsor these grants to JROTC instructors across the country as they contribute to a better understanding of aerospace studies to their students,” said George Muellner, Vice Chairmen of the Board for Aerospace Education. “As an education-focused nonprofit, AFA proudly shares in the responsibility of helping to develop skilled individuals not just in aerospace, but in all STEM-related studies, because it will be imperative to the future success of this country. This particular grant program is just another great initiative AFA puts forward to support the nation’s educators.”

AFA strongly advocates aerospace education and the development of science, technology, engineering and mathematics as the foundational skills for the 21st century jobs in fields sustaining U.S. air, space and cyberspace power. To qualify, teachers complete an application and send it directly to ROTC headquarters, where selection of recipients is made. JROTC units may apply for this grant every other school year.

Congratulations to the following grant recipients:

• Larry Spicer, Selma High School, Selma, AL
• Stephen Ruiz, Southside High School, Selma, AL
• George Wilson, Hope High School, Hope, AR
• Ionne Barnes-Joshua, Redlands High School, Redlands, CA
• Donald Smith, Effingham County High School, Springfield, GA
• Tina Viltz, Acadiana High School, Lafayette, LA
• Brian O’Connell, Surry Central High School, Dobson, NC
• Henry Gaither, Rockingham County High School, Wentworth, NC
• Thomas Ferrari, Brick Memorial High School, Brick, NJ
• John D’Auria, Salem County Career and Technical High School, Woodstown, NJ

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

The Air Force Association is a non-profit, independent, professional military and aerospace education association. Our mission is to promote a dominant United States Air Force and a strong national defense, and to honor Airmen and our Air Force Heritage. To accomplish this, we:

• EDUCATE the public on the critical need for unmatched aerospace power and a technically superior workforce to ensure U.S. national security.
• ADVOCATE for aerospace power and STEM education.
• SUPPORT the Total Air Force family and promote aerospace education.

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