CAP Aerospace Connections in Education national liftoff excites students, adults in Fla.

October 07, 2008

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS -- Civil Air Patrol celebrated the national liftoff for its Aerospace Connections in Education in grand style Oct. 7 in Jacksonville, Fla., thrilling hundreds of schoolchildren and adults alike with demonstrations of applied aeronautics while also bringing together a broad range of representatives of the local aviation community to show support.

With attendance totaling an estimated 700, the festivities at San Jose Catholic School's outdoor sports field included the landing of a HSL-46 Squadron Navy Seahawk helicopter, which the students were able to tour; patriotic music; a CAP flyover; and a performance by the Florida Wing Color Guard, which finished first in CAP's National Cadet Competition in June.  

During the program one of the faculty, technology teacher Patti Connolly, was aloft in a CAP plane as part of the organization's Fly A Teacher program, taking aerial photos of the schoolgrounds. CAP's cadet mascot, Cappy, was present for the festivities as well, courtesy of a helicopter ride by Duval County Sheriff's Department deputies.

Meanwhile, the students not only watched, they participated. They launched rockets they had built in class the previous week and also sent aloft small tissue-paper hot-air balloons. And rather than relying on a choir for music, the students themselves sang patriotic songs.  

"They were so so excited," said Susan Mallett, CAP's School Enrichment Program manager. "They had been practicing patriotic songs for two weeks."  

And after Angie St. John of the School Enrichment Program performed the program's theme song, "Boomerang," the students participated in a boomerang toss to dramatize the program's central message --that "the choices you make today will come back to you tomorrow."  

Aerospace Connections in Education is an enrichment program designed to motivate K-6 students through aerospace awareness and careers. Educators are provided with national standards-based materials that can be adapted to fit a wide variety of curricula.

ACE includes three core components -- character education, knowledge of aerospace and related career opportunities, and physical fitness. 


Participants in the festivities included:  

• Col. James M. Rushing, Southeast Region commander.  
  
  
• Col. Christian Moersch, Florida Wing commander.
  
  
• Lt. Col. Arthur Giles, Florida Wing vice commander.
  
  
• Lt. Col. John Edsall, Florida Wing Group 2 commander.
  
  
• Jacksonville Aviation Authority officials.
  
  
• Larry Belge, president of the Air Force Association's Falcon Chapter.
  
  
• Capt. Greg Stritch of Starbase Florida, the Department of Defense youth program, who's also aerospace education officer for Group 2 and the Jacksonville Composite Squadron.