CareerTech grant helps fund aviation program at Stillwater High School

The school district submitted a request last spring for a Perkins innovative grant to fund participation in Tango Flight Inc., a nonprofit organization created to get students interested in aviation engineering and maintenance.

Schools pay upfront for the first plane kit, said Jessica Sigle, Stillwater High School aviation teacher. When it is complete, Tango Flight sells it and provides another one to the school, she said.

“The program begets itself,” she said. “They sell the aircraft, and it pays for the next one.”

The Perkins innovative grant through Oklahoma CareerTech helped Stillwater High School pay the upfront cost to participate in the program. Innovative grants help schools expand CareerTech opportunities for students, providing hands-on learning in high-need areas, said Jordan Duck, Oklahoma CareerTech federal grants compliance manager.

“Projects like this one are why the CareerTech system is so important,” Duck said. “Providing students with these kinds of opportunities is invaluable to their growth and development. They will be able to use these skills to set themselves apart when they enter the workforce.”

Students in the Stillwater High School aviation program will build the fully functioning plane from start to finish, Sigle said. Along the way, they will get two years of knowledge in building, electronics, avionics and hydraulics, putting them at an advantage for both continuing their education and finding employment, she added.

Depending on the exact number of class hours they have, she explained, they will be able to test for airframe and powerplant certification or continue their education at an aviation school or university. If they pass the placement exam, Sigle said, “they can potentially have one-third of their program completed.”

Texarkana College, which provided the Tango Flight curriculum, she said, has a six-month airframe and powerplant course.

The students have been practicing their skills in riveting, drilling and inspection and also receiving safety training while waiting for the crates to arrive. Once those have arrived, students will first inventory all the parts.

They will document each step of building the plane, signing and dating a log. The master copy will stay with the plane when it leaves, Sigle said.

Sigle, who holds a doctorate in chemistry from Oklahoma State University, said she is getting training in light sport aircraft mechanics. She previously taught science and aviation at Cushing High School and is part owner of S&S Aircraft in Cushing.

Students will also have a leg up in job interviews because of the skills they are learning.

“When they say in interviews, ‘I built a full-scale plane,’ that will be impressive,” Sigle said. “Our students are going to get to say that. They will walk into interviews and be very well versed.”

And they will be helping to fill a skills gap in aviation mechanics. Aerospace is Oklahoma’s second largest and fastest growing industry, but more workers are needed to fill industry needs.

“We are thrilled to partner with schools to bring innovative, rigorous and relevant education to students who will be our hope for a productive future in our great communities,” said CareerTech State Director Brent Haken. “Oklahoma CareerTech applauds Stillwater Public Schools for bringing true project-based learning to its students. They will see career possibilities firsthand while communication, mathematics and science are incorporated into meaningful experiences that prop them up for great success.”

The innovative grants are awarded through funds from the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, which amended the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Act of 2006. Oklahoma receives about $18.4 million every year in Perkins grant money; 15% of the pass-through dollars is set aside for reserve funds. The other 85% is allocated to schools based on a federal formula.

Oklahoma CareerTech last year expanded the innovative grant program to include smaller schools that were not previously eligible. For more information about the program, visit https://oklahoma.gov/careertech/educators/perkins/innovation-grants.html.

Oklahoma CareerTech: Oklahoma’s Workforce Leader

The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education provides leadership and resources and assures standards of excellence for a comprehensive statewide system of career and technology education. The system offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts operating on 63 campuses, 394 PK-12 school districts, 20 skills centers campuses that include three juvenile facilities and 49 adult education and family literacy providers.

The agency is governed by the State Board of Career and Technology Education and works closely with the State Department of Education and the State Regents for Higher Education to provide a seamless educational system for all Oklahomans.