If you attended the virtual National Conference last week, you heard National Commander Maj. Gen. Mark Smith mention Maj. Sian Proctor, assistant director of aerospace education for the Arizona Wing, in his keynote address.
Maj. Proctor (pictured), also a member of the Arizona Wing's Sky Harbor Composite Squadron, will be the mission pilot on the privately funded Inspiration4 flight aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. The launch is scheduled for Sept. 15. Learn more about Maj. Proctor in CAP.News coverage here. Congratulations, Maj.Proctor!
Congratulations are also extended to this year's AE national award winners, who are listed in this newsletter.
A special event is coming up this week. CAP's first National Cadet AE Challenge is ready for lift-off. CAP will be launching two high altitude balloons this Saturday, August 21, in Anderson, Indiana, expected to reach about 100,000 feet -- to the edge of space! More than 180 squadrons representing all regions have submitted science experiments that will be payloads in the high altitude balloon launches. You can read more in this newsletter about the High Altitude Balloon Challenge (logo pictured below) and how to watch live coverage of the launches.
This is a busy time of year for many of our programs: Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE), Adopt-a-Classroom, Teacher Orientation Program (TOP) Flight, Aerospace Education Excellence (AEX), Squadron AE Achievement Award and UAS flying. Don't miss the updates on these programs.
Our member story this month highlights a member from Virginia Wing. If you know of other inspiring member stories, we hope you will reach out to us at ae@capnhq.gov.
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THIS MONTH: Member stories - Program updates - Events - AE Safety Check - Curriculum - Important things to know
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PROGRAM UPDATES
2021-22 ACE registration is now open
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A new school year is starting up, and ACE registration is now open for 2021-2022! The ACE curriculum has been modified to assist our public, private and home-school ACE teachers in offering fun, hands-on activities with lesson plans that meet national standards of learning. The ACE lessons have embedded links so that you and your students can have quick access to information on the web. Click HERE to access the ACE curriculum guides. To register for ACE 2021-2022, click the link below.
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CAP's Adopt-a-Classroom Program
for grades 5-8 resumes in September
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Any 5th- through 8th-grade teacher involved in the ACE program can also request to be adopted by a local CAP squadron. Adults and cadets will assist in teaching a minimum of three lessons to students while cadets also share the benefits of the Cadet Program. Title I schools are the focus group for this program, but any school classroom is eligible! All materials and support are free to teachers and the squadrons. Contact adopt@capnhq.gov for more assistance.
Find out more at the Adopt-a-Classroom page at the link below.
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CAP's Teacher Orientation Program
(TOP) Flights are ready for take-off
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Teachers, please contact your state’s Director of Aerospace Education (DAE), using the list HERE, and request YOUR TOP flight over your local area and school! All states are ready and willing to get teachers “out of the classroom; into the sky” to help start the new school year off with excitement! Each state will fly as COVID restrictions allow, so just ASK!
Read more at the TOP Flight page at the link below.
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Aerospace Education Excellence (AEX) Program |
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AEX Award registration and completion for Squadrons and AEMs: Has your squadron or classroom applied for and completed the 2020-21 AEX Award Program in eServices? AEX program activities should take place from Oct. 1-Sept. 30 each year. Completing the activities may require some creativity in order to fulfill the six AEX lessons and two-hour extension activity. Activities and resources are available in eServices, AE Downloads and Resources, and on the AE website, Lessons and Activity Videos and Aerospace/STEM Resources. Many of you are doing virtual tours for the two-hour extension activity. If you have creative ideas you wish to share, please send to aex@capnhq.gov.
To learn more about the AEX Program, click the link below.
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Squadron AE Achievement Award |
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AE Achievement Award recognizes squadrons for AE mission accomplishments: Your squadron still has time to earn the Squadron AE Achievement Award! The award identifies squadrons who have successfully perform specific criteria listed in CAPR 50-1. Recipients of this award demonstrate the importance they place on accomplishing the AE mission. Squadrons still have time to achieve this award. For additional information, visit the link below.
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Recreational UAS Safety Test now required by FAA |
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Any CAP member; senior member, cadet, AEM or student who flies a CAP-issued sUAS recreationally outdoors is now required by the FAA to take The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST). This test applies to all outdoor sUAS STEM Kits (Quadcopter, RC Aircraft and VTOL). The test is free and can be taken online through the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) website. The National Headquarters AE team strongly recommends all members flying UASs, whether indoor or outdoors, take TRUST. It's the safe and responsible approach for us to make sure we are meeting compliance in case the activity changes from indoor to outdoor flying. For complete instructions on taking the test and a link to the test, click the button below. |
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CAP Aerospace Education's National High Altitude Balloon Challenge ready for lift-off this weekend |
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CAP will be launching two high altitude balloons on August 21 in Anderson, Indiana, expected to reach about 100,000 feet -- to the edge of space! Representing every CAP region, 187 squadrons have worked all summer to research and prepare science experiments hypothesized to endure the elements of space. These experiments will be the payloads of the balloons launched by StratoStar. (Pictured, Tar River Composite Squadron, MAR-NC-057)
- The INWG will be conducting a Search and Rescue exercise to provide total CAP mission connectivity between cadets doing STEM education to senior members providing air and ground teams to support and showcase all aspects of CAP in one great challenge!
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Anyone can view the live-streamed event from the home of Anderson Preparatory Academy Cadet Squadron on Capt Bob Roberts’ AE YouTube channel. Capt Roberts, as the project director, will begin his live stream at 10:30 ET until both balloons’ payloads are located and retrieved.
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Col Joe Kittinger, famed high altitude balloonist, is the Challenge Ambassador and will provide commentary throughout the launch event from Orlando, Florida.
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Squadron-submitted science experiments, reports, videos, mission patches and more will be judged with the hope of winning the first Col Kittinger Cup and a $5,000 award grant!
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See one squadron’s video submission that helps explain their work HERE. (West Virginia Wing's Potomac Composite Squadron)
Find out more at the HAB Challenge page at the links below.
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Meet the 2021 national Aerospace Education award winners |
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The 2021 Civil Air Patrol National Conference, held virtually last week, featured winners of several national AE Awards. Congratulations to the 2021 winners! Also, it's not too early to start considering deserving candidates for next year.
Frank G. Brewer National Memorial Aerospace Award:
- CAP Senior Member Category: Capt. Burton Dicht, New York Wing
- Individual/Organizational Category: Allan C. Timmerman, CEO of Jet Air Group FBO, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Lifetime Achievement for CAP Member Category: Lt. Col. Paul Willard, Virginia Wing
- Cadet Category: Cadet/Lt. Col. Ryan Porter, Alaska Wing
The 2021 AFA National CAP Aerospace Education Cadet awardee: Cadet Rylee Schmuck, Indiana Wing
Major General Jeanne M. Holm National Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education Officer of the Year Award: Capt. Robert (Bob) Roberts, South Carolina Wing
CAP National Aerospace Teacher of the Year: Patrick Carter, Indiana Wing.
For more information on each of these outstanding winners, visit the link below.
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How to view and get credit for 2021 National AEO School |
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The 18th annual National AEO School, the first virtual National AEO School, was livestreamed in June. The AEO School 2021 course is available to AEOs even if you did not register for the live event. You must enroll in this course through AXIS/LMS to have access. The enrollment and credit instructions are available at the link below.
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(Welcome to AE Safety Check! These safety nuggets are things to think about as you lead or participate in an Aerospace Education activity. The writer of this monthly feature is Lt. Col. Karen Cooper, who works in safety and risk management on the AE National Headquarters Staff and is also the Northeast Region Assistant DCS/Aerospace Education.)
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PREVENTING DEHYDRATION AT AE EVENTS
CAP conducts multiple AE activities outside, and most of those are in the sun. Be mindful about preventing dehydration – make sure that your participants have a drink of water before engaging in the activity as well as periodically during the activity. Have some water on hand so that they do not have to go far to find water to drink. Also – this is not just a summer concern. Late spring and early fall can be just as dangerous. Keep in mind – you are becoming dehydrated long before you feel dehydrated. Even if your AE participants do not feel thirsty – make sure that they are drinking water at regular intervals.
Symptoms of dehydration include:
- Dry mouth
- Sleepiness or fatigue
- Extreme thirst
- Headache
- Confusion
- Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
Additional information can be found in the Safety Briefing on Hydration in the Learning Management System in eServices..
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If you have a safety topic you would like to be included in this space, please email kcooper@ner.cap.gov.
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AEM STORY
Virginia elementary gifted resource teacher finds
CAP activities help deepen student learning
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Meet Brett Bailey, a gifted resource teacher for Hanover Public Schools/Cold Harbor Elementary School in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Ten years ago, she began her teaching career, and she is about to start her second year of teaching as a Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education Member (AEM). Several years ago, she sought master's level training on serving gifted students, and now that is her full-time role. Her teaching team "consists of innovative women who are constantly striving to find the best instructional opportunities to implement that will instill a love of learning in their students through authentic experiences. They introduced me to CAP last fall, and I've never looked back!" She implements STEM topics as much as possible in her classroom. Last year, she used CAP paper airplanes and balsa gliders for her students to conduct distance trials. She called it "one of our most valuable learning experiences all year!" She also has used CAP's Bee-Bot STEM Kit. "CAP has allowed me to try new, exciting topics and tech gadgets with my students that I know are solid activities to deepen student learning," she says. Click the link below to read her full story. |
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"My students love the Bee-Bots! These are crucial for early coders. Kids benefit from creating multi-step codes for the bots to travel while working in teams."
-- Brett Bailey, Virginia AEM
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In this lesson, students will identify shapes of the Moon, place the Moon phases in order, and learn why the Moon looks different at different times of the month. These learning opportunities are provided by a fun hands-on activity with chocolate/vanilla cream sandwich cookies! This lesson is Grade 2 Academic Lesson #6 in the Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) Grade 2 Guide. ACE registration is now open for the 2021-2022 school year. ACE is CAP's K-6 grade-specific STEM program. Click the link below to view the lesson.
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Each month, this space features important highlights or answers to frequently asked questions. Here are three things you need to know now as an AEM or AEO.
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You can update your eServices profile information. Here's how: |
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Sign into eServices and click on your name in the top right hand corner. Update your email address, mailing address, contact numbers, etc. This ensures you receive timely and pertinent information from CAP. If you are a teacher, ensure your primary email address is your home and your secondary email address is your school so that your annual renewal email and any other important information will not end up as spam in your school email account.
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AEMs: Is it time to renew your membership? |
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All Aerospace Education Members (AEMs) are offered an annual FREE “in-kind renewal." The online renewal email is sent 60 days prior to the membership expiration date. A renewal banner appears at the top of the eServices sign-in page 90 days prior to expiring. (You can’t renew earlier than 90 days.) Find additional information at the link below. Thinking that due to the pandemic you cannot participate in CAP’s AE programs? That may be partly true, but when we get back to “normal,” you will wish you kept your membership current, so do not let it expire!
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AEOs: Reach out to AEMs whose memberships expire soon |
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AEOs, this is the perfect time to reach out to your AEMs whose memberships expire within 60 days or whose memberships have expired. For more guidance, see Recruiting and Retention of AEMs on the AEO Resources page link below.
Please note: CAP has several categories of membership, but each member can only be assigned one category of membership. Any adult uniformed member, who is an educator, may access all the resources available to an AEM. And, we wish to encourage our AEMs to “hang on” until the end of the pandemic and continue renewing their membership. Once things are back to “normal,” they will be glad they did!
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Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education
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