Aerospace Education Council Update: April 2024 

CyberPatriot and StellarXplorers continue to inspire and motivate the next generation of technical prowess as a basis for a strong national defense. The success of these efforts is most intensely felt at the Awards Banquets of each program’s National Finals. CyberPatriot held its banquet last month in Bethesda, Md. The event renewed for me the importance of enabling the best and brightest young people to explore their talents and interests. The StellarXplorers banquet on April 20 in Denver, Colo, was just as rejuvenating.

Both programs, coupled with our relationships with Civil Air Patrol and Air Force Junior ROTC (in both air and space “flavors”), provide a strong foundation for a vital chapter agenda, regardless of chapter size or status, given every community’s interest in a good education system and increased opportunities for their children.

Last month, we announced the 40 awardees of our Educator Grants. Each of the Chapter Presidents with a grant in their AOR should have received notification of the recipient of the grant. Contact these motivated teachers to discover how you can support their outstanding efforts. They may just be a Thompson-Mallett National Teacher of the Year in the making! (Speaking of which, nominations for this year’s Thompson-Mallett award are due to field@afa.org no later than 30 June. Nominate a teacher here.)

Your AFA Education Council never rests! Check out these excellent articles from our latest AEC newsletter:

• AFA National Teachers of the Year Collaborate on Arizona AFA Teacher Air/STEM Camp
• Civil Air Patrol’s Massive Eclipse Mission with NASA: ‘Teamwork on a Continental Scale’
• CyberPatriot, StellarXplorers Seasons End, Gear Up for Next Year

Go forth and do good things!

Stephen K. Gourley

Vice Chair of the Board, Education