Focus on Education
Jack Frost — AMA Education Coordinator
- Tel.: (765) 287-1256 Ext. 515
- Email: [email protected]
The July 2003 Focus on Education column, written by Education Coordinator Jack Frost, centered on the National Science Teachers Association convention held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. My presence at that convention, working in the booth, prompted Jack to ask me (Bob Underwood) whether I saw any changes in our emphasis on education within AMA in recent years.
In responding to his question, I run the risk of making this column more personal than usual, but perhaps my reply will provide some insights. Before I begin, here are a few historical notes.
For many years, the only identifiable AMA effort in the education field—at least for youth—was the Adopt-a-School program. While this was to some extent a success, it was limited in many ways. AMA didn't make a concentrated effort to promote the concept, nor was there the opportunity to easily develop the program among teachers who were not modelers. Adopt-a-School was in place while I served as AMA Technical Director and during the nine months I was Executive Director when AMA moved to Muncie, Indiana.
Following my tenure as Executive Director, I resumed the job of Technical Director—on a part-time basis—from my home in St. Louis. This was while Jerry Rouillard was the Executive Director. Working from St. Louis was not an acceptable situation. Fortunately, Steve Kaluf filled the position of AMA Technical Director a year later and I was free to "retire" again.
As a former teacher, I was interested in expanding our educational activities. I approached Jerry about forming an education program. He thought it was a great idea and suggested I forge ahead. With Executive Council support, Jerry created an Education Director position. So much for retirement! A committee was formed, a meeting was held, goals were developed, and the education program was on its way.
For the next two years, the committee members worked diligently to try to keep up with the increasing numbers of programs and conventions. One ambitious project centered on live satellite presentations beamed to classrooms from our Muncie facility. These were made possible through Ball State University facilities and reached as many as 70,000 fifth- through seventh-graders at once. New concepts were developed, including:
- Youth Education Stipend (YES) grants
- the $1 Youth membership
- a focused effort on science teacher conventions
It became evident to me that working as a part-time employee from a remote site, I was incapable of keeping up with the activities. I proposed hiring a full-time staff person, located in Muncie, to carry on the activities. That happened and that brings us to the present. That also brings us to the reason Jack asked me to compare what is happening now with what we envisioned at the first organizational meeting seven years ago.
In Philadelphia, while Jack and committee members Michael Smith and Art Ellis moved approximately 600 teachers through make-and-take programs, I handed out literature to roughly a thousand more, answered questions, and directed them to investigate the various websites available.
It was a most invigorating experience; in my mind, I couldn't help but compare it to the first experience we had a few years ago in Indianapolis, Indiana. The booth has improved; the number of people served has increased, and the responses from those talking to us revealed that our message was heard. Many of the people dropping by simply wanted to indicate that their contact with AMA had provided them with valuable programs that they had tried. Now they were eager for more, and the "more" is being provided!
As I look at the activities of the committee today, I believe it has succeeded beyond the expectations put forth during the committee's first meeting. Those successes have been detailed in this column and the Newcomers column. Involvement in:
- the Science Olympiad
- the Technology Student Association
- various science teachers' conventions
- the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) "On Miniature Wings"
- the national program "Inventing Flight"
are but a few of those activities.
This year as "Countdown to Kitty Hawk" activities take place, AMA is in a position to meet a large number of individuals. Picture, if you will, a make-and-take model activity on the front lawn of the Air Force Museum during two weekends in July. This is an opportunity for thousands to quickly build a flyable model and receive help trimming it for optimum performance.
To an extent, the Education Committee's success has created a problem. There is the issue of volunteer help to maintain these programs, not to mention the resources to expand other ideas in the works. There is a dialogue regarding plans to help in this area. You can be certain that they will include you if you are an interested party.
There are other manifestations of increasing awareness. If you study AMA membership numbers, you will note an interesting trend:
- In 1994 there were 159,000 Open members and 16,000 Youth members (Youth roughly 10% of Open).
- Last year those numbers were 173,420 Open and 22,620 Youth members (slightly more than 13%).
I know that the $1 Youth membership didn't exist in 1994, but it was the Education Committee that presented the idea to the Executive Council. This has helped make educational activities for schools and clubs easier to sell.
There is another element of the membership issue to consider. It is not possible to document this, but as we moved into the second year of the $1 Youth membership, those of us working at trade shows began to note an interesting trend. We had young people—with parents in tow—arriving at the booth to sign up mom and/or dad!
Colleen Pierce, AMA's Membership Supervisor, began receiving calls that indicated a similar trend. In that case, if a parent became a member, the request was to move the Youth membership from a $15 (with magazine) membership to a straight $1 Youth membership. Interesting, isn't it? How many of those "open add-ons" occurred? We haven't a clue, but the point is that we have reached a larger audience.
Please understand that finances are not the overriding issue here. It is the fact that through the various programs, increased numbers of people are being reached.
There has been increased AMA youth activity in competition events both nationally and internationally. Activities associated with the Science Olympiad in the United States and a developing, aggressive program within the National Free Flight Society have spawned significant participation.
Another important factor to consider is that there is always a time lag between "presentation" and "participation." The normal response is to feel that if a program is initiated this year there should be progress next year, but it doesn't work that way.
Those science teachers and clubs who put their programs in place seven years ago may be seeing notable results today, but if those participating in the program were fifth-graders then, it may be another seven years before the gestation period ends and a modeler emerges. That's the nature of education. While progress is measured in minutiae, the youth grows in influence until maturity. Just be patient!
In answering Jack's query about the committee, I feel that significant progress has been made as the result of excellent committee leadership and inspired effort by committee members. But—and there's always one of those—there is still an area where I feel there is a great deal of work to do.
At the first Education Committee meeting, we identified the fact that education is not just for youth. Much work is needed to help the 65-year-old newcomer. In many cases, this individual needs just as much instruction, encouragement, and general help as the fifth-grader. The committee hasn't fully tackled that task yet. It isn't because we haven't wanted to; the problem has been limited resources in time, money, and help. This is being addressed, so be patient.
If there has been a source of frustration I've felt in the last few years, it is the same one I encountered while serving in other AMA positions as both a volunteer and a paid employee. I call it the "case of the lost message." Until a short time ago, I have written for this magazine for 20 years. I have stood in trade show booths serving members for almost as long. Regardless of how often one answers a question, the next question asked is that same question.
At a recent trade show, a member had a question concerning education. It was typical, something like, "When is AMA going to do something about education for kids? After all, us old guys like you and me will die and the hobby will die."
Aside from the fact I was somewhat distressed to be placed in the "old" category, I was equally distressed to find that the man didn't have a clue that anything was happening in AMA with educational programs. Politely, I enumerated the many activities, cited the various websites where he could find information about programs and activities, and asked whether he ever read this column. He knew not and had not.
Satisfied that I had fully informed the member, I attempted to assuage his fear that modeling is headed for extinction. I added that in some ways aeromodeling is morphing into a different form. His response after 15 minutes was to ask, "Yes, but what are we going to do about not gaining youth members?"
In the words of Charlie Brown, "Good grief!"
Aeromodeling education is doing well! Stay informed. When those 600 science teachers we worked with at the Philadelphia convention spread the word to their colleagues and inspire each of their 300 students every year, the word "explosion" will take on a different meaning. Then there are those crowds in Dayton and the thousands of kids in Science Olympiad—and on and on. Exciting, isn't it?
And don't worry about the man who asked the question at the trade show. He doesn't read this column anyway!
—Bob Underwood
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
