AVIATION FOR Girls 2016 13
Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, wants to plant seeds for an
aviation future in its campers. PreFlight is a four-day aviation camp for pre-
teen and teenage girls, inspired by the legacy of the Women Airforce Service
Pilots (WASP), the first female military pilots of World War II, and their his-
tory. The camp provides girls with meaningful hands-on aviation activities,
team-building exercises, and role models designed to improve self-esteem
and inspire the girls to think about aviation career possibilities.
Women Soar You Soar is a four-day aviation learning experience spon-
sored by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) each year in con-
junction with its annual fly-in, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. High school-age
girls spend their days surrounded by some of aviation's best and bright-
est mentors: women who are succeeding in science, technology, aviation,
and more. Women Soar uses both STEM activities, team-building activi-
ties, and the fly-in itself—the world's largest general aviation event—to in-
troduce the girls to all the possibilities that exist for them across the broad
spectrum of the aviation and space industries.
Women Soar is a great excuse for heading to the big fly-in with the fam-
ily. Teens can have a little independence, and for the even younger crowd
there is KidVenture, a decidedly wonderful way to pique the imagination
of even the youngest potential aviators.
Co-Ed Rules!
If you are looking for a co-ed experience there are plenty of opportuni-
ties waiting in the aviation world as well. EAA Air Academy is the group's
co-ed aviation camp option, with activities for middle and high schoolers
scheduled before and during AirVenture each year.
EAA Air Academy cadets have their facilities in dedicated buildings on
the grounds of the EAA AirVenture Museum near Wittman Regional Airport
in Osh kosh, Wisconsin. All of the camps use the museum's labs, classrooms,
and interactive exhibits as part of their activities.
Not planning a Wisconsin pilgrimage? If your base of operations is in
the southeastern U.S. then Pensacola's National Flight Academy sits on
the Navy base in Pensacola, Florida, right
next to one of the premier aviation muse-
ums in the U.S., the Naval Aviation Mu-
seum. The Naval Aviation Foundation
administrates NFA, ensuring that it can
provide sponsored camp sessions each
year with targeted fundraising.
"Delta Air Lines sponsors 100 campers,
all children or relatives of Delta employ-
ees, each year," said John O'Hara, director
of education for NFA. Several Florida coun-
ties also send sponsored students, as does
the New Orleans Housing Authority, and
other entities.
The program has a dedicated building
that is outfitted to resemble an aircraft carrier inside and out. It even
pipes in the soundtrack of the massive carrier engines throbbing and vi-
brating when underway, punctuated by the scream of jet engines and the
pounding of heavy aircraft slamming on the carrier deck at regular inter-
vals. Without reference to the outside, it is easy for campers to imagine
themselves at sea.
The sound effects and hallway decorations are just window dressing,
Want More Info?
PreFlight Aviation Camp
www.PreFlightCamp.com
EAA Air Academy
www.EAA.org/airacademy
EAA Women Soar You Soar
www.EAA.org/womensoar
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
summercamps.erau.edu/camps
Mission Aviation Adventure Camps
www.brigadeair.org
National Flight Academy
www.NationalFlightAcademy.com
Nikki Kukwa Camp
tinyurl.com/NikkiKukwaCamp
Parks College
parks.slu.edu/future-students/
pre-college/summer-academy/
aviation-summer-academy
Space Camp and Aviation Challenge
www.SpaceCamp.com
SUN 'n FUN
www.sun-n-fun.org/educational-programs/
Virginia Space Flight Academy
www.VASpaceAcademy.org
Students learn
to plan flight
missions and
then carry
them out over
the course
of their camp
session.