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Join us in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15) to recognize Hispanic histories, culture and contributions. As a resource for AEOs and AEMs in squadrons and classrooms, we have a lessons page on our website that highlights accomplishments of Hispanic pioneers in aerospace/STEM fields.
For AEOs and AEMs, it's the perfect time to become involved in CAP's Adopt-a-Classroom program. The program connects CAP squadrons with 5th- through 8th-grade teachers. As you are making plans for the next fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 and for the rest of the newly started school year, remember to check out CAP's STEM Kit Program.
It's also time to complete tasks for the AEX Program (AEOs and AEMs) and Squadron AE Achievement Award (AEOs).
You will want to mark three important dates on your calendar. Oct. 5 and Oct. 17 are the deadlines for registration in the AFA's CyberPatriot and StellarXplorers competitions (squadrons and schools can participate). On Oct. 22, award winners in CAP's National AE High Altitude Balloon Challenge for cadets will be named.
AEMs, it's not too late to register for the K-6 Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) Program.
More details on all these programs are available in this newsletter, as well as the member story of an AEM from Pennsylvania Wing.
If you have any information you'd like to see highlighted in the newsletter, contact us at ae@capnhq.gov.
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THIS MONTH: Member story - Program updates - AE Safety Check - Curriculum - Important things to know | |
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PROGRAM UPDATES
2022-2023 ACE registration continues
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A new school year is continuing, and it's not too late to sign up for CAP's Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) Program for 2022-2023! 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 2022-2023, click the link below.
For additional questions, contact ace@capnhq.gov.
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All hands in for ACE Plus lift off | |
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Classroom ACE teachers in grades 5-8 can be ‘adopted’ by a local CAP squadron again this year!
Teachers, if you desire to be adopted, complete the Request Form and send to your state’s Director of AE (see contact list HERE).
- State CAP leaders will connect you with the closest squadron.
- Adopting squadron will complete the squadron section and send to state Director of AE and adopt@capnhq.gov.
- CAP’s National HQ Ace Plus team will ship out materials to the squadron.
- Squadron and teacher will coordinate times for cadets and adults to come to the class.
| If you have any specific questions after reading the information, contact adopt@capnhq.gov. | |
CAP's AE STEM Kit Program -- featured kit | |
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FEATURED STEM KIT - OUTDOOR QUADCOPTER: Use the Outdoor Quadcopter to teach beginners the joy of flying. While cadets and students are learning to navigate the skies, they will also become skilled in teamwork activities, eye-hand coordination, motor skills and a variety of disciplines in and out of the classroom. Cadets and students can even experiment with simple modifications of the quadcopter to allow for drone racing and obstacle course flying. Included with the quadcopter will be a remote-control transmitter, an extra battery and a battery charger. For further applications and activities of the kit, download the CAP Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Activity Booklet that is available in the AE Downloads and Resources section of the CAP member portal, eServices.
This kit is an extension of the Model and Remote-Control STEM Kit; therefore, applicants are encouraged to contact and work with local Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) clubs for additional guidance with the kit. The kit is recommended for ages 12 and older.
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Aerospace Education Excellence (AEX) Program | |
AEX Award registration and completion for squadrons and AEMs: Has your squadron or classroom completed the 2021-22 AEX Award Program in eServices? Also, now is the perfect time to register for the 2022-2023 AEX Program. AEX program activities should take place from Oct. 1-Sept. 30 each year. Activities and resources are available in eServices, AE Downloads and Resources, and on the AE website, Lessons and Activity Videos and Aerospace/STEM Resources. To learn more about the AEX Program, click the link below. | |
Squadron Aerospace Education Achievement Award | |
AE Achievement Award recognizes squadrons for AE mission accomplishments: The Squadron AE Achievement Award identifies squadrons that successfully perform certain 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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Cadet teams register free for AFA's
national STEM competitions
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Time is running out for CAP cadet teams to register for the Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) two national STEM competitions!
- CAP cadet teams need to register at no cost using the CAP squadron charter number and name to easily identify CAP teams.
- Schools can also register for the STEM programs, but may have to pay a fee unless a Title I school.
- Both competitions have training materials for school and cadet teams.
CyberPatriot (for middle and high school teams) deadline is October 5.
StellarXplorers (for high school teams) deadline is October 17.
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Civil Air Patrol's National High Altitude Balloon Challenge Awards Program | |
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On October 22, the winning cadet team of the 2022 National Col. Joe Kittinger Cup will be announced via live stream! The link will be announced next month, but put the event on your calendar now!
- 122 CAP teams of over 1,500 cadets prepared over 500 experiments to be launched to the edge of space. Click HERE to read about the HAB balloon launch in August.
- The cadet teams have completed their post-launch science analysis reports and documentaries and are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the Kittinger Cup winner with a $5,000 prize donated by Col. Joe Kittinger, HAB Ambassador. (See photo of the 2021 national winners with Col. Kittinger.) Other cash prizes for best mission patch, pre-launch video, science slide, and documentary will also be announced.
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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 DCS/Aerospace Education.)
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A SIMPLE QUESTION CAN BE A BIG HELP
“Are you OK?” As we watch out for each other, this simple question is also a safety question. Being a Wingman is a common occurrence in CAP, but as you watch out for your Wingman, watch out for the others participating in your AE activity, too. If anyone appears to be anything other than their normal selves, this simple question can show support, concern, and sometimes help to address a safety issue. I recently asked this question to a stranger as I flew home from the National Conference. He said he was OK, but then thanked me for my concern. You can do it, too.
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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
Pennsylvania AEM shows students how
they can thrive in aerospace/STEM fields
| Meet Debbie Reynolds, an AEM in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, suburbs. She has been an educator for more than 25 years and is now the director of Techworks at Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA). TechWorks is a new hands-on, career-focused lab for CCA students across the state of Pennsylvania. The school has 22,000 online learners. "We are a Pennsylvania's largest public cyber charter, a Title I school, and we also have approximately 28 percent of our student population identified as special education." After a teaching career took her to several states as her husband's job changed locations, she settled outside Pittsburgh, where one of her roles was STEM specialist. "I absolutely fell in love with STEM," she says, "and in 2015, I got my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction with a STEM emphasis." Her CCA role combines her love of STEM and school administration with getting to meet with students daily. She has found CAP's programs and materials engage her students. Last month, she attended CAP's 2022 National Conference in Louisville. "I enjoyed attending the educator events and brought back some great ideas to share with the educators in my school," she says. She is passionate about aerospace and STEM education. "Students are naturally curious, and within these two fields, there is a place for all of them. My favorite phrase is 'See It To Be It!' I think that students need to see themselves in these different areas, and by teaching with Aerospace and STEM, that is entirely possible." Click below to read her full story. | |
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"I will never forget the day that I introduced the students to Spheros. The look on their faces was pure joy, and they had the best day. I particularly remember that one of my students who never participated in class and usually never did his work was so engaged and laughing. I started incorporating technology and the Spheros as much as I could that year, and it really changed some of my teaching methods."
-- Debbie Reynolds, Pennsylvania AEM
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CURRICULUM SPOTLIGHT
Cloud Clues
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In this lesson, students will identify six types of clouds. They will learn to associate types of clouds with types of weather. To help them make these connections, students will construct their own Cloud Finder wheel. Students also will get to have "class outside" as they observe and chart real cloud formations outside the classroom. Cloud Clues is Academic Lesson #1 in the Grade 3 Aerospace Connections in Education (ACE) Teacher's Guide. Or find the Cloud Clues lesson plan here. ACE is CAP's K-6 STEM program, and registration has opened for the 2022-2023 school year. Find more information on the ACE Program 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 as an AEM or AEO. | |
You can update your eServices profile information. Here's how: | |
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? | |
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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