Texas AFA Chapter Enkindles New Era of STEM Programs at Local High School

October 30, 2024   |   By Vance Clarke

Earlier this year, Dana O’Neal, a teacher at Jim Bowie High School in Simms, Texas, used a grant she won from the Air & Space Forces Association to fund her school’s first-ever “rocket launch and drone” program. Five months after the groundbreaking project, O’Neal’s local AFA Chapter is still supporting her efforts in STEM.

AFA’s Northeast Texas Chapter 416 coordinated with the local Civil Air Patrol TX-450 squadron to support O’Neal and her students at their event on April 30, when Chapter President Vance Clarke extended the offer to further assist in the 2024-25 school year. He informed O’Neal about other AFA programs and resources, including CyberPatriot, StellarXplorers, the Chapter’s essay contest, and potential funding opportunities.

In October, his offer paid off: Chapter 416 provided O’Neal a check for $750 to fund more successful rocket launches, drone activities, and other STEM projects in the 2024-2025 school year. 

O’Neal reports that the Chapter’s involvement has inspired Jim Bowie High School to pursue new heights in STEM. Not only is this their first year with a team competing in AFA’s StellarXplorers National Space Design Competition, but students will be entering Chapter 416’s essay contest in hopes of winning scholarships worth up to $2,000.

“We are so grateful to AFA for presenting these opportunities to our students,” said O’Neal.  “We will definitely be working with a rocket launch later this month or early November. The students will be focused on the designs of the rockets this year. They will be looking specifically at the nose cone and fin designs and will work to determine the best shape and center of weight of the vehicle.”

Following this win-win for AFA and Jim Bowie High School, Chapter 416 President Vance Clarke wants other AFA Chapters to know that this story can be emulated in their local school districts. He encourages field leaders to draft a simple letter to their schools, informing them about: