Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Guest Blogger: Judy Rice, Executive Director of Fly to Learn


I was delighted to have received a call from Larry Pintacuda, FAN CEO!  Larry shared with me Florida Afterschool Network’s (FAN)  two major focus for the promotion of STEM curricula and activities into afterschool programs.  Visiting the FAN web site exudes the ‘ah-ah’ moments of excitement produced by afterschool programs.

Perfect!  Fly To Learn, Powered by X-Plane, Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) education through aviation! 

Students learn STEM skills through the design, construction, flight, and performance evaluation of their own realistic virtual airplanes, engaging in academically rigorous material that is not only fun to learn, but easy for educators to impart.  Fly To Learn is an inquiry-based, flexible afterschool educational instrument that enriches the learning environment for educators and students at all levels.

The program provides instructors and students a unique, cost-effective, results-driven tool designed to increase dedication to STEM education and to improve effective implementation of STEM concepts.  Fly to Learn meets and exceeds the National Science Teacher Association (NSTA) curriculum of standards for science education. 

In addition, participating educators and students are eligible to enter an exciting annual virtual event where Fly To Learn teams use what they learn in the program to design, build and fly an aircraft delivering the maximum payload as quickly and efficiently as possible.  The winning team will receive international recognition as the 2013 Fly To Learn inaugural Team.  The educator will be award an engraved iPad with X-Plane 10 and a beautiful engraved plaque; and each student will receive a trophy recognizing their accomplishments

FAN staff and audience know, there is no greater time for our Nation to focus on STEM education, especially before, after, and out of school.  For exciting, STEM, real world application visit www.flytolearn.com  or contact Fly To Learn Executive Director, Judy Rice at jrice@flytolearn.com

Join the excitement as together, we building future engineers one student at a time!

2 comments: