Dailey and Remi Strabley
Petersburg, WV – Potomac Highlands Composite Squadron is always looking for ways to bring aerospace education to local youth. By hosting a 2nd Annual Vacation Aerospace Education School, this is accomplished. The event was held at the squadron building of PHCS, at 400 Airport Road in Petersburg. The week-long summer enrichment event was full of educational materials, math problems, hands-on building and more.
Each day of the week held a new aviation focus. On Monday, the local youth learned about gliders and got to build two of their own; one was made out of straws, index cards and tape and the second was a balsa wood glider. Tuesday was full of learning about airplanes, the parts that make them move and the kids made rubberband powered airplanes that they got to “fly” from the squadron deck. The middle of the week’s focus was on helicopters, which the attendees got to make and take home hand helicopter flying propeller toys. Thursday was full of excitement with water
bottle rockets! Friday wrapped up the week with balloons and parachutes, in which the youth learned about the “Candy Bomber” and even made their own Snickers and handkerchief candy drops.
Every child in attendance was given a participation certificate and Civil Air Patrol contact information before dismissal. Potomac Highlands Composite Squadron hopes that this annual event will continue to be an eye opener for kids, encouraging them to embrace an interest in aerospace education. Civil Air Patrol believes that “Today’s Cadets are Tomorrow’s Aerospace Leaders” and we hope to spread that belief in our small community. To find out more about Aerospace Education through Civil Air Patrol, join us for a weekly meeting, located at 400 Airport Road in Petersburg, starting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays.
