Kingfisher Memorial Library takes flight with education grant from the Aeronautics Commission
OKLAHOMA CITY – Fifty organizations were awarded Aerospace and Aviation Education Program grants totaling over $365,000 at the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission’s (OAC) August meeting. Grants are for targeted learning programs that have a direct application to aerospace and aviation for primary through post-secondary education. The grant funds are part of the agency’s initiative to give more Oklahoma young people access to STEM careers in the aerospace and aviation industry.
The commission approved a $5,000 education grant for the Kingfisher Memorial Library in partnership with the City of Kingfisher, for their “Library Flight School” program. This K-12th-grade course educates youth about airplanes, aeronautical maps, instrumentation and radio, flight history, airplane physics, airports, and piloting, and introduces students to careers in aviation.
“Our teachers, schools and communities are inspiring the next generation of Oklahomans that will continue to move our state forward to great heights,” said Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher. “Kingfisher consistently produces some of our state’s brightest and most talented students, and it’s thanks to partnerships like the Kingfisher Memorial Library and City of Kingfisher coming together to form the Library Flight School program for our K-12 students. This partnership will no doubt inspire the next generation of leaders to learn more about aerospace and aviation – two industries making headway in our state. I applaud this program for receiving a $5,000 education grant, as well as the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission for investing in our schools and communities.”
The Aerospace and Aviation Education Grant Program has been awarding aviation education grants for over 30 years. Charged with the mission by state statute, the Commission fosters and encourages students to consider aerospace or aviation as a career. The Commission’s grant program has years of positive results. The initiative supports the Oklahoma Works project that aims to address the skills gap and connect students to programs that will help build the workforce of Oklahoma’s second-largest industry.
“I am excited with this news and commend the library and City of Kingfisher for recognizing the need to further educate our young people on the new and expanding opportunities of aeronautics and aerospace in the coming years. Oklahoma has many advantages, including geographic and economic, that position us to excel in these growing industries and we are thankful for the OAC assisting in introducing this to our next generation,” said Rep. Mike Dobrinski, R-Okeene.
The OAC’s nationally recognized program enjoys a positive reputation as one of the most robust aviation education programs among state aviation agencies. For the 2021-22 school year, Oklahoma will rank #3 in the country in the number of schools teaching the AOPA curriculum. Since FY2001, the Commission has awarded $4.15 million in aerospace and aviation education grants.
“The Kingfisher community has taken steps to make a real difference in the lives of their students. We know that the library is providing students with valuable insight into the potential for a future aviation and aerospace career, and we wish them great success with their program,” said Paula Kedy, MA. Ed., Aerospace and Aviation Education Coordinator for the Commission.
Watch the full meeting at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfvqUmcWmrY&t=15s.