Join us in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15) to recognize the Hispanic/Latinx culture and achievements. As a resource for AEOs and AEMs in squadrons and classrooms, we have a lessons page on our website that highlights accomplishments of Hispanic/Latinx pioneers in aerospace/STEM fields.
Last week, the winners were announced in the recent CAP National AE High Altitude Balloon Challenge. The grand prize winners were awarded $5,000 but several squadrons received cash prizes in various categories. In August, two high altitude balloons were launched from Indiana carrying the experiments of 139 squadrons. Don't miss meeting the grand prize winners and following a link to all the award winners in this issue.
Our member stories this month highlight members from New York and Kentucky Wings. If you know of other inspiring member stories, we hope you will reach out to us at ae@capnhq.gov. Your story could be the next one told!
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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
Adopt-a-Classroom program connections starting
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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.
Interested teachers should connect with their state’s Director of Aerospace Education (list found HERE), by submitting their “Request to Collaborate” form, which will then be shared with the closest CAP squadron.
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Aerospace Education Excellence (AEX) Program |
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AEX Award registration for Squadrons and AEMs: A new year of AEX is beginning! Make sure your squadron or classroom applies for the 2021-22 AEX Award Program in eServices. AEX program activities should take place from Oct. 1-Sept. 30 each year. During COVID-related restrictions on in-person meetings, virtual meetings using any AEX activities or virtual conferences and/or field trips may be used to complete the requirements. Suggested activities and resources are available in eServices, AE Downloads and Resources, and on the AE website, Lessons and Activity Videos and Aerospace/STEM Resources. If you have 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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Teacher Orientation Program flights ready for take-off |
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Teachers, please contact your state’s Director of Aerospace Education (DAE), using the list HERE, to 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 with excitement! Each state will fly teacher members as COVID restrictions allow, so just ASK!
Read more at the TOP Flight page link below.
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Massachusetts cadets from two squadrons
win national Kittinger cup and $5,000 prize
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Four cadets from two squadrons in the Massachusetts Wing, the NER-MA-005 Bridgewater State University Composite Squadron and the NER-MA-007 Goddard Cadet Squadron, joined hands and won the grand prize for CAP’s first national STEM challenge! The CAP National AE High Altitude Balloon Challenge began in June, and 139 squadrons with over 1,500 cadets from all eight regions created and flew over 650 science experiments to the edge of space on two high altitude balloons in Indiana during August. Documentation of experiment analysis was submitted in September, and on October 6, the national winners were announced.
The winning team traveled from Massachusetts to Orlando, Florida, to join the Challenge Ambassador, Col Joe Kittinger, famed prisoner of war hero, fighter pilot, and high altitude balloon scientist, for the live AE YouTube channel awards event. Col. Kittinger made the presentation of the Kittinger Cup, the $5,000 prize and autographed copies of his book, “Come Up And Get Me,” to the team winners during the awards event on October 6 (recorded and now online). Joining the team was also the Florida Wing Assistant Director of AE, Lt. Col. Gary Dahlke, who arranged a private tour of Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center to further expand the cadets’ interest in and knowledge about the historical and current space program. (Pictured, above right)
A special thanks is extended to Maj. Gen. Ed Phelka, CAP’s National Commander, for starting the awards event with a motivational message to all cadets involved in the Challenge. Additionally, appreciation is extended to the Massachusetts Wing Commander, Col. John Flaherty, for his support of the team’s travel to Florida. Col. Kittinger has already pledged the same level of support for the 2022 Challenge, which will be announced at the first of the year to all Wing Directors of AE to share with all squadrons throughout the organization.
The winning team members as shown in the photo with Col. Kittinger (top) are:
Capt. Leslie Kneipfer (MA-005 AEO); C/TSgt. Gage Lafleur (MA-007); C/Col. Maeve Carrigg (MA-005); Col. Joe Kittinger; C/Lt. Col. Leah Vigevani (MA-005); C/SMSgt. Henry O’Brien (MA-007); and Lt. Col. LouAnn Muffei-Iwuc, (MA-007 AEO).
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Real World Design Challenge 2022 registration is open |
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The Real World Design Challenge (RWDC) is an annual competition that provides high school students, grades 9-12, the opportunity to work on real world engineering challenges in a team environment. Each year, student teams will be asked to address a challenge that confronts our nation's leading industries. Students will utilize professional engineering software to develop their solutions and will also generate presentations that convincingly demonstrate the value of their solutions. The RWDC provides students with opportunities to apply the lessons of the classroom to the technical problems that are being faced in the workplace. Find out more 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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LITHIUM BATTERY SAFETY
Lithium batteries -- they are (almost) everywhere, and are used in a number of AE Systems, including sUAVs, robotic systems, and items that require the popular "coin batteries." But do you know how to store them prior to disposing of them properly? Always check your local laws and regulations, but there are some steps you can take. Most are considered hazardous waste, but don't just throw them into your hazardous waste bin. Did you know that you should never put unprotected lithium batteries in your pocket? For example, if you put more than one unprotected coin battery in your pocket, there is a chance that they will align and create a short -- especially if there is an additional metal item in that same pocket (where are your keys?). That short could result in burning your pocket or you. Before they go into the hazardous waste bin or your pocket -- take the time to wrap them in Scotch tape or something similar. Don't let them come in contact with each other.
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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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AEO STORY
Capt. Burton Dicht of New York enjoys sharing
his knowledge of aerospace engineering with youth
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Meet Capt. Burton Dicht of New York Wing, Internal AEO for the wing as well as the AEO for both the New York City Group and Phoenix Composite Squadron (NER-NY-301). First drawn to an interest in aerospace when he was a young boy watching the Apollo program, he became an aerospace engineer working in the aerospace industry. Now he is the Director of Student and Academic Education Programs for the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He volunteers at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City and was invited to speak at a Civil Air Patrol meeting by a fellow museum volunteer. That led to his more than eight-year CAP journey, which he calls "a wonderful and educationally expanding experience." This year, he won the Frank G. Brewer Memorial Award, Senior Member Category, a national CAP award which recognizes "outstanding contributions out of selfless devotion" to advancing youth in aerospace activities. "While I am an aerospace engineer," he says, "I have learned a great deal more through CAP and its high quality AE program." Messages of thanks that he has received from cadets as well as from the students in the classrooms he visits during external activities are some of the most rewarding experiences of his journey. "I know not every cadet or student is interested in an aerospace career, but my message to them is you can aspire to do great things," he says. "I’ve heard back from many cadets about what they learned from my sessions and my stories. I’ve also done extensive external AE activities, visiting schools and conducting AEX programs. The students are not shy; they tell you how they feel, and it is so satisfying to hear how much they learned and enjoyed the activities." To read the full story, click the link below. |
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"For me, it’s about sharing my knowledge of aerospace with the cadets with the intent of inspiring them to see themselves contributing to our aerospace legacy."
-- Capt. Burton Dicht, New York Wing
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AEM STORY
Kentucky AEM is taking CAP programs back
into the classroom with her this school year
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Meet Kaci Heins, who teaches science at a public middle school in Shelbyville, Kentucky. She has been in education for 17 years. She just returned to the classroom for her 12th year as a classroom teacher and also has served five years as an education director at Space Center Houston (pictured with astronaut Mike Massimino). She is passionate about STEM and space. "I've never seen any content capture the wonder and imagination of children and adults like aerospace," she says. "There is something extraordinary about space that can connect with everyone at some level. Plus, it is just incredibly fun!" She was an AEM from 2010 to 2016 and rejoined this year because she was returning to the classroom. She's already looking forward to incorporating the hands-on lessons and materials that CAP has to offer as well as reaching out to her local squadron for guest speakers. "I'm excited to be back in the classroom, and even though we have just begun the school year, I know that the CAP resources are going to really enhance the curriculum." Click the link below to read her story.
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"The more we invest in them (current students), the stronger the workforce will be and the brighter the outlook. That is why CAP programs are so important to keep funding and making available to educators."
-- Kaci Heins, Kentucky AEM
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CURRICULUM
Rocket to the Planets
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In this lesson, Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) students will use their Finger Rockets (provided by CAP to each student when the teacher registers for ACE). They will learn about planets and launch their finger rockets at planet targets (pictures). Then they will graph the results. The lesson is Academic Lesson #8 in CAP's ACE Grade 2 Curriculum Guide. Click here to view the lesson. With the ACE Program each grade (K-6) receives a different curriculum material to go along with the grade-specific set of lessons. For more information and to register for the 2021-2022 ACE Program, go here.
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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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