National Aviation Hall of Fame partners with PBS on new education program

DAYTON, Ohio — The National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) and PBS affiliate ThinkTV/Dayton have partnered to create a new education program.

“Discovering Flight: Learning with the National Aviation Hall of Fame” is a curriculum based on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math), using videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more for young learners, as well as teachers and parents working to support and inspire the next generation of aerospace legends.

In development now, the program is expected to be available in September 2020, according to NAHF officials.

Discovering Flight is an activity driven program for elementary and middle school students that explores aerospace science and history with the Wright Brothers. Students travel alongside the historic brothers to share in the discoveries they made while interacting with other famous pilots to deliver fun educational experiences for on-line learning and in the classroom, according to NAHF officials.

The late Zoe Dell Nutter, Trustee Emeritus, who served as the first female president and then chair of the board of the NAHF, graciously agreed to underwrite the new program before her passing.

“From the conception of flight by the Wright Brothers to the 23 Ohio natives who have become astronauts, more than any other state, aviation has held a proud place in Ohio history,” Nutter said. “I have always believed in the importance of the NAHF mission to capture and share the nation’s heritage and, through this partnership, we will inspire the next generation of aviation greats.”

“The NAHF program includes the development of a multifaceted curriculum that will be distributed through Crayons to Classrooms (C2C) to teachers, especially those in under-resourced schools,” explained ThinkTV Corporate and Community Connections Director Greg Schell. “It incorporates NAHF Digital Studios and Interactives for ThinkTV’s STEM WORLD and PBS LearningMedia, a NAHF Discovering Flight PBS KIDS engagement page and the creation of interactives to be shared via the NAHF website and social media.”

Just as diverse as those inducted into the NAHF, there is not just one aspect of aviation covered in the program, NAHF officials noted.

Featured enshrinees include mechanics like Charles Taylor; trailblazing pilots like Bessie Coleman, Amelia Earhart, Bob Hoover and Patty Wagstaff; inventors and engineers like Frank Whittle, Igor Sikorsky, and Kelly Johnson; General Aviation legends like Olive Beech, Al Ueltschi, and Paul and Tom Poberezny; and aviation visionaries like Burt and Dick Rutan, Alan and Dale Klapmeier and Joan Sullivan Garrett.

“The NAHF is committed to providing STEAM exposure to under-served communities. As a designated hub for innovation, aerospace will continue to be an honored part of Ohio’s legacy for generations to come. An imperative part of that is the inclusion of a highly-skilled aerospace workforce,” NAHF President and CEO Amy Spowart said. “We know that the aviation and aerospace industry faces a shortage of trained technical graduates. At the same time, attracting young learners into pursuing STEAM careers is not simple. At the NAHF, we see the work to inspire and build the confidence of future aerospace innovators as an essential part of our mission.”