Education Through Aviation
EDUCATION TEAM ADVANCES AMA’S VISION AND MISSION
By Kyle Jaracz | kylej@modelaircraft.org
In 2025, the AMA Education team translated AMA’s Vision and Mission Statements into a year of tangible action. Our work strengthened the organization’s role as aviation leaders by providing resources, creating opportunities, and inspiring a lifelong love of model aviation.
Building the Pathway to the Future (Our Vision)
To fulfill our vision of being the “pathway to the future,” we equipped members and educators with the tools to succeed.
We empowered educators with no-cost curriculum, Arconic flight kits, Quick Projects, and discounted AMA ALPHA and BETA Free Flight kits, all providing proven, hands-on aviation lessons. We fostered technical development through student competitions, such as the no-cost Heavy Lift Challenge. Our flagship UAS4STEM drone engineering challenge continued to be an engine for membership growth, tasking student teams with building, coding, and engineering.
We also provided direct hands-on experiences, supporting FAA and Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals Aerospace Career Education (ACE) Academy camps by guiding campers with AMA ALPHA builds and Know Before You Fly (KBYF) Discovery drone kits.
Promoting and Safeguarding the Hobby (Our Mission)
To execute our mission of promoting and safeguarding modeling, our 2025 efforts ranged from national advocacy to grassroots support.
Our staff presented on national and international stages, ensuring that AMA is recognized as an aviation leader. Through a major FAA KBYF contract, we distributed 5,000 federally funded drone kits and educational materials to students across all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam.
To safeguard the hobby, our department administered the Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), issuing certificates to a quarter-million hobbyists. We also improved club and event support by enhancing resources for the Introductory Pilot Program, Model Aviation Student Clubs (MASCs), community engagement, and event manager training.
Our team supported over a dozen local events and provided direct, tangible support to partners such as the Civil Air Patrol, distributing more than 1,400 aircraft and simulator kits for fiscal year 2025.
Investing in Tomorrow’s Leaders
We supported the AMA Foundation’s scholarship program, facilitating the award of approximately $50,000 to students who were recognized for academic excellence and their passion for aviation.
The successes of 2025 are a testament to our dedicated members. Thank you for using model aviation to inspire communities. We advance the hobby together and look forward to building on this momentum to ensure a financially strong and growing future for AMA.
SOURCES:
AMA Vision and Mission Statements
modelaircraft.org/about-ama
AMA Flight School
amaflightschool.org
