AFA and HRDC to combine efforts to help local students “blast off”

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Alan Fairey
  • Guest Editorial
WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. --  Westover's chapters of the Air Force Association and the Human Resource Development Council are working together to offer 25 local middle school students the opportunity to increase their knowledge of aeronautics and get some valuable mentoring from positive role models.

The Patriot Propulsion Program will bring volunteers from both organizations to the STEM Middle Academy in Springfield, MA. During four after-school sessions in late March and early April, the volunteers will instruct the students on basic aeronautics and assist each student in building their own model rocket.

The AFA is providing the funding for the rockets and also providing volunteers to help instruct the students as part of AFA's national STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) learning initiative.

After the sessions at the school, the culminating event will be held on April 27 at Westover as part of HRDC's Hispanic Youth Leadership Symposium. The students will spend the entire day at the base. During the day, the students would have the opportunity to tour various areas of the base and see how an Air Force base operates. They will have the chance to speak with individuals from various career fields including pilots, aircraft maintenance, and medical personnel. Air Force staff will also be speaking to the students about the importance of education and making good choices in their personal lives. The day will conclude with the students launching their rockets in the middle of our ellipse playing field, incorporating their 4 weeks of STEM learning into an exciting final event.

The after-school sessions will be held on March 23 and 30 and April 6 and 13 from 1500-1700 at the STEM Middle Academy, 36 Margaret Street, Springfield, MA. Volunteers are needed to assist the students in constructing the rockets and ensuring safety procedures are followed. Volunteers may attend any or all of the sessions; there is no commitment to be present at all four meetings. No special or technical expertise is required; the Patriot Propulsion Program will supply the required materials and procedures.

All interested volunteers should contact 2nd Lt. Alan Fairey at Alan.Fairey@us.af.mil or (413) 557-2718; or contact Lt Col. Luis Nunez at Luis.Nunez@us.af.mil or (413) 557-2755.