140 MODEL AVIATION
AMA News
Announcements, news, and information from the
Academy of Model Aeronautics and the elected district representatives.
WHOOSH! Whoosh! What was that?
I’m walking down the corridor at Taylor
Jr. High School in Mesa, Arizona, looking
for the classroom of teacher Karen Rascon,
who’s involved in something called AWIM.
Whoosh! That was a glider buzzing the
hallway! I think I’ve found the classroom.
A few weeks before this encounter, I had
been talking with Jon Moss, a friend of mine
and a retired General Motors executive,
about a program called “A World In
Motion” (AWIM). Developed by SAE
International (Society of Automotive
Engineers), AWIM is a teacheradministered,
volunteer-assisted program
that brings science, technology, engineering,
and math (STEM) education to life in the
classroom for students in kindergarten
through grade 12.
Benchmarked to the national standards,
AWIM incorporates the laws of physics,
motion, flight, and electronics into ageappropriate
hands-on activities that reinforce
classroom STEM curriculum.
With the support of corporations,
foundations, volunteers, SAE members, and
the SAE Foundation, AWIM opens a
window of possibilities for students as they
discover the exciting application of science
principles and learn about rewarding
engineering, science, and technical careers.
The students learn to work as a team with
their classmates and apply creative problem
solving during the activities.
A popular aspect of the program here at
Taylor Jr. High is the glider challenge
project. During this project, teams of
students are challenged, via a letter from a
fictitious corporation, to create a glider that
children, ages 8-12, can build with
assistance from an adult.
During the project, teams of three or four
students form a “company,” set goals, and
Flying Site Assistance Wes De Cou | [email protected]
When opportunity comes a knockin’ ...
(L-R) Jorge Rosales, Sandra Vega, Jennifer Macias, and Nicholas Chacon of “Star, Inc.” show
off their motorized Ladybug. The gear-driven toy is another of the challenges offered by the
AWIM program.
(L-R) Vanessa Contreras, Amy Martinez,
Hanan Kahsai, and Melissa Carlos of “In
Flight, Inc.” with their completed glider.
Ailerons and a rudder built into their design
resulted in great barrel rolls off the catapult.
Wes De Cou
Coordinator
Western Region
AMA Districts VIII - XI
AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, KS, LA,
MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX,
UT, WA, WY
202 W. Desert Flower Ln.
Phoenix AZ 85045
Voice: (480) 460-9466;
Cell: (480) 296-9515
Fax: (480) 460-9434
E-mail: [email protected]
Joe Beshar
Coordinator
Eastern Region
AMA Districts I - VII
AL, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY,
MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC,
NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, PR, RI, SC, TN,
VA, VT, WI, WV
198 Merritt Dr.
Oradell NJ 07649
Tel.: (201) 261-1281; E-mail:
[email protected]
Finding—Preserving—Maintaining
Continued on page 141
05amanews_11amanews.qxd 3/23/2010 9:57 AM Page 140
build their knowledge about flight in general
and rubber-band catapult-launched gliders in
particular. They design, test, and revise their
gliders, agree on a final design that meets
their stated goals, build the final product,
and present the results of their work to
teachers, family, and friends at the end-ofproject
celebration.
The presentations include actual
demonstrations of the glider, display boards
depicting the various stages of development,
and an oral presentation of the project via a
student-produced PowerPoint presentation.
As I write this column, I have just
returned from the end-of-project celebration
at Taylor Jr. High. The short commitment on
my part, one or two hours in eight weeks, is
over. The reward came this evening in the
form of excited students demonstrating their
newly acquired knowledge to their peers,
parents, and teachers.
The audience filled the bleachers at the
gym. Our local NBC News affiliate was at
the presentation, as was the director of the
SAE Foundation, Matt Miller. He presented
the two teachers involved with the
program—
Karen Rascon
and Trish
Merrill—with
the Gary
Dickinson
Award. The
award is
national in
scope, and is
given to the
teacher or
teacher team
that shows
exemplary skill
in the use of
the program
materials.
What a neat
night!
The AMA
is getting some
favorable
notoriety here
because of my
involvement in the AWIM program. Your
club and the AMA can get the same positive
publicity if you step up and offer your
expertise to local students who are involved
in the program.
There is an obvious win/win
combination here. The students and the
AWIM program are winners because
motivated volunteers with experience in
aviation, whether it is full-scale or
miniature, become mentors to youngsters
who have shown an interest in learning
about the process of engineering. We
nurture that interest through the gliderbuilding
project.
The opportunity you have to forge a
relationship with your local schools and
communities through your volunteer
activities can have a substantial, positive
impact on your quests for indoor and
outdoor flying sites, and on your efforts to
garner public support for sites already in
operation. With educators, kids, and parents
behind you, you have a lot of push!
The idea of having AMA members
volunteer in the AWIM program is in its
infancy. The program is nationwide—in
fact it is worldwide, but it is not in every
city in every state.
There will be solvable logistical
problems matching volunteers with
opportunities. The idea is on the table, and
my effort here is to get a sense of the
interest level among our membership.
If you are interested in the program or if
you have some questions you would like
answered, shoot me an e-mail or give me a
call. Based upon my experience in my first
AWIM project, I can tell you that
opportunity is a knockin’!
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/05
Page Numbers: 140,141
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/05
Page Numbers: 140,141
140 MODEL AVIATION
AMA News
Announcements, news, and information from the
Academy of Model Aeronautics and the elected district representatives.
WHOOSH! Whoosh! What was that?
I’m walking down the corridor at Taylor
Jr. High School in Mesa, Arizona, looking
for the classroom of teacher Karen Rascon,
who’s involved in something called AWIM.
Whoosh! That was a glider buzzing the
hallway! I think I’ve found the classroom.
A few weeks before this encounter, I had
been talking with Jon Moss, a friend of mine
and a retired General Motors executive,
about a program called “A World In
Motion” (AWIM). Developed by SAE
International (Society of Automotive
Engineers), AWIM is a teacheradministered,
volunteer-assisted program
that brings science, technology, engineering,
and math (STEM) education to life in the
classroom for students in kindergarten
through grade 12.
Benchmarked to the national standards,
AWIM incorporates the laws of physics,
motion, flight, and electronics into ageappropriate
hands-on activities that reinforce
classroom STEM curriculum.
With the support of corporations,
foundations, volunteers, SAE members, and
the SAE Foundation, AWIM opens a
window of possibilities for students as they
discover the exciting application of science
principles and learn about rewarding
engineering, science, and technical careers.
The students learn to work as a team with
their classmates and apply creative problem
solving during the activities.
A popular aspect of the program here at
Taylor Jr. High is the glider challenge
project. During this project, teams of
students are challenged, via a letter from a
fictitious corporation, to create a glider that
children, ages 8-12, can build with
assistance from an adult.
During the project, teams of three or four
students form a “company,” set goals, and
Flying Site Assistance Wes De Cou | [email protected]
When opportunity comes a knockin’ ...
(L-R) Jorge Rosales, Sandra Vega, Jennifer Macias, and Nicholas Chacon of “Star, Inc.” show
off their motorized Ladybug. The gear-driven toy is another of the challenges offered by the
AWIM program.
(L-R) Vanessa Contreras, Amy Martinez,
Hanan Kahsai, and Melissa Carlos of “In
Flight, Inc.” with their completed glider.
Ailerons and a rudder built into their design
resulted in great barrel rolls off the catapult.
Wes De Cou
Coordinator
Western Region
AMA Districts VIII - XI
AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, KS, LA,
MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX,
UT, WA, WY
202 W. Desert Flower Ln.
Phoenix AZ 85045
Voice: (480) 460-9466;
Cell: (480) 296-9515
Fax: (480) 460-9434
E-mail: [email protected]
Joe Beshar
Coordinator
Eastern Region
AMA Districts I - VII
AL, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY,
MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC,
NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, PR, RI, SC, TN,
VA, VT, WI, WV
198 Merritt Dr.
Oradell NJ 07649
Tel.: (201) 261-1281; E-mail:
[email protected]
Finding—Preserving—Maintaining
Continued on page 141
05amanews_11amanews.qxd 3/23/2010 9:57 AM Page 140
build their knowledge about flight in general
and rubber-band catapult-launched gliders in
particular. They design, test, and revise their
gliders, agree on a final design that meets
their stated goals, build the final product,
and present the results of their work to
teachers, family, and friends at the end-ofproject
celebration.
The presentations include actual
demonstrations of the glider, display boards
depicting the various stages of development,
and an oral presentation of the project via a
student-produced PowerPoint presentation.
As I write this column, I have just
returned from the end-of-project celebration
at Taylor Jr. High. The short commitment on
my part, one or two hours in eight weeks, is
over. The reward came this evening in the
form of excited students demonstrating their
newly acquired knowledge to their peers,
parents, and teachers.
The audience filled the bleachers at the
gym. Our local NBC News affiliate was at
the presentation, as was the director of the
SAE Foundation, Matt Miller. He presented
the two teachers involved with the
program—
Karen Rascon
and Trish
Merrill—with
the Gary
Dickinson
Award. The
award is
national in
scope, and is
given to the
teacher or
teacher team
that shows
exemplary skill
in the use of
the program
materials.
What a neat
night!
The AMA
is getting some
favorable
notoriety here
because of my
involvement in the AWIM program. Your
club and the AMA can get the same positive
publicity if you step up and offer your
expertise to local students who are involved
in the program.
There is an obvious win/win
combination here. The students and the
AWIM program are winners because
motivated volunteers with experience in
aviation, whether it is full-scale or
miniature, become mentors to youngsters
who have shown an interest in learning
about the process of engineering. We
nurture that interest through the gliderbuilding
project.
The opportunity you have to forge a
relationship with your local schools and
communities through your volunteer
activities can have a substantial, positive
impact on your quests for indoor and
outdoor flying sites, and on your efforts to
garner public support for sites already in
operation. With educators, kids, and parents
behind you, you have a lot of push!
The idea of having AMA members
volunteer in the AWIM program is in its
infancy. The program is nationwide—in
fact it is worldwide, but it is not in every
city in every state.
There will be solvable logistical
problems matching volunteers with
opportunities. The idea is on the table, and
my effort here is to get a sense of the
interest level among our membership.
If you are interested in the program or if
you have some questions you would like
answered, shoot me an e-mail or give me a
call. Based upon my experience in my first
AWIM project, I can tell you that
opportunity is a knockin’!