HELPING YOUTH GROW
THEIR SKILLS
Education Through Aviation
By Kyle Jaracz, Education Director | kylej@modelaircraft.org
Greetings from the AMA Education department! I hope this season finds you and yours well, and for those of us in climates that cause additional weather-related frustration at the flying fields, I hope you have a lead on a nice indoor location in which to fly. It’s been a great year, with progress made on multiple fronts in the education realm.
The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) exam is available, enabling recreational fliers to legally operate in the airspace. Our UAS4STEM competition was held (and will be held in 2022) at EAA AirVenture. UAS4STEM will also move to an internationally open competition to enable participation from around the globe.
Quick Projects and AMA Jr. Camp kits were also distributed to destinations around the world. Camp AMA proceeded without a hitch in 2021, as well as our second year of AMA Jr. Camp. Both will continue in 2022.
These accomplishments are ultimately based around one thing: our volunteers. AMA Leader Members, schoolteachers, Introductory Pilots, mentors, and engaged community members are one of the most important resources upon which our hobby depends. Take the time to cultivate a love of aviation in your community by volunteering.
To that end, as one school semester ends and the next semester looms, I asked Education department staff member Joel Brumley to put together his top AMA resource recommendations for educators (traditional and nontraditional) to utilize. He chose the route of our AMA Jr. Camps and AMA/Arconic K-12 curriculum, both of which are great resources that some members might not be aware of. Following are Joel’s recommendations:
If you want to help kids grow their skills using aviation as a theme, whether you are a public schoolteacher, homeschool teacher, youth club leader, parent, or grandparent, the AMA has great resources available through www.amaflightschool.org. I will highlight two of these programs.
AMA Jr. Camp is a great way to get your club, class, or family engaged in the basics of aeromodeling! AMA Jr. Camp is AMA’s virtual camp that is geared toward kids ages 5 to 13 and is recorded live each spring. AMA Jr. Camps can be enjoyed virtually at home or as a group activity. A bonus is that campers can interact live with AMA staff as they create these videos, or after the livestream ends by reaching out to education@modelaircraft.org.
Many of the materials used in the projects can be found in an average home, but some projects are better served by having the project resources that are produced by the AMA. To help you alleviate the stress of gathering all of the materials needed, we offer AMA Jr. Camp “flight packs,” which include the items needed to work through the six lessons that are highlighted during each camp. Flight packs for our 2021 AMA Jr. Camp are available in the AMA web store and are ready for shipping today. Each pack contains everything needed to perform each activity, and costs only $75.
Another great AMA educational resource is the Arconic STE(A)M Curriculum. This curriculum is free and includes written materials, worksheets, and videos. These resources entertain and educate teachers and students alike!
As a bonus, we have produced a webinar with the AMA’s own “mad scientist,” Rick Crosslin. A mild-mannered Indianapolis schoolteacher by day, Rick shows and tells everything you need to know to help your students navigate the program using the free resources that are sponsored through a partnership with the Arconic Foundation. To receive these free resources, simply fill out a short survey after viewing the webinar.
One of the great things about AMA’s educational resources is that they can be used anywhere in the world! In 2021, a school group in Uganda successfully explored the principles of flight with the Arconic STE(A)M materials and AMA Jr. Camp kits.
The educator kits are available to teachers, homeschools, and clubs that are interested in teaching aeromodeling, STE(A)M principles.
To learn more about educational resources from the AMA, keep up with our blogs. The AMA Education department staff regularly offers information through our blogs. You can also reach out to the team by emailing education@modelaircraft.org.
