Education Outreach Programs Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland

Tomorrow’s Workforce

is in School Today

Education Outreach Programs

Science

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Technology

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Engineering

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Mathematics

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STEM

College of Southern Maryland University of Maryland

St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles County Public Schools Little Flower School

King’s Christian Academy Father Andrew White School St. Mary’s Ryken High School

The Calverton School St. Michael’s School

St. John’s School

Mother Catherine Spalding School

Education Partnership Agreements Are In Place

With the Following Schools

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD)

is facing serious shortages of qualified engineers and scientists. There is a sharp decline in the number of students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) degrees in the United States, making the pool of qualified candidates smaller, and more difficult to recruit.

Encouraging and nurturing a student’s interest in STEM subjects must start at the elementary school level, and continue through high school and beyond. In an effort to ignite interest in STEM subjects, the NAWCAD has Education Partnership Agreements (EPA) in place with schools to bring real world science and technology applications to the classroom. By nurturing local students, NAWCAD employees expose youth to the work and potential career opportunities at Pax River. Live at home, work at home. Students with ties to the community are more likely to stay in the area, and represent a potential pool of future job candidates for the organization. Through outreach activities, students will become more knowledgeable about careers and the education needed to fulfill positions at NAWCAD.

• Optical Olympics

• Engineering Design Process • Pax River 101

• Communication Systems Explorations at Webster Field

Middle School– 7th Grade

• The Case of The Mysterious Marina • The Case of The Puzzled Pilot

• “Save the Bay” Robotics Program and Material World Modules

High School – 9th Grade

• Steam Catapult Launch • Engineering Design Process • Careers in Engineering

• Textiles Laboratory Experiments • The Science Behind Fashion

– Electronic Measuring • Communicating with Light • Transmission through Water • Laser Eavesdropper

• Atomic Cooling and Liquid N2

• Bull-et Proof Survivability Engineering Design Challenge

• Oxygen Lab • Alternative Fuels The following is a sampling of programs launched

to support the STEM Academies located in Lexington Park Elementary, Spring Ridge Middle and Great Mills High Schools. As the cohort for the STEM Academies grows, more unique projects will be developed to complement the expanded

curriculum.

Elementary School – 4th Grade

• NASA SciFiles ™

- The Case of the Challenging Flight • Environmental tour

• Aviation tour

Elementary School – 5th Grade

• “It’s All About Lasers” classroom presentation and tour

• “Save the Bay” robotics program and Material World Modules

• STARBASE-Atlantis

Middle School – 6th Grade

• Corrosive Engineering Design Challenge • Thermo Barrier Design Challenge

St. Mary’s County

High School - 10th Grade

• Engineering tours

• Photogrametrics and radar presentations • “Seat Belt Safety Tests” using the

Horizontal Accelerator

• Mentors to support the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) competition

• Missle Design Challenge

Teachers are provided an initial orientation of the base through briefings and tours, and are encouraged to mentor with engineers and scientists throughout the year.

Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center

The NAWCAD provides classroom support, tours and other programs to the engineering, aviation maintenance, and manufacturing students at the technology center.

Through a partnership with the Naval Sea Systems Command at Indian Head, the Energetics Team, the National Defense Education Program, and the College of Southern Maryland, the base offers an in-school robotics program for 5th and 7th grades at several schools in St. Mary’s County. St. John’s, Father Andrew White, Mother Catherine Spalding, St. Mary’s Ryken High School and the STEM academies at Lexington Park Elementary and Spring Ridge Middle are participating schools. This 12-week program uses Lego and NXT robotics kits to challenge students in design, critical thinking, and more to make learning fun. A competition among the schools is held in the winter and spring.

The Education Partnership Office also coordinates volunteers from the base to support after school robotics clubs in Calvert County.

STARBASE-Atlantis

STARBASE-Atlantis– Area 5th graders in St. Mary’s and Calvert counties can blast off at STARBASE-Atlantis. This unique Department of Defense program started operations at Pax in 2007, and features inquiry based science learning

focused on 13 core curriculum segments including Newton’s Laws, the Bernoulli principle, model rocketry, flight simulation, forces-of-flight, space exploration, goal setting, team work and more. During the summer, a special camp is available. Schools participating in this base program are selected through the school’s central administrative office.

For more information:

(301) 342-2789 www.starbasedod.org

in computer technology. Learn how engineers and scientists study underwater sound and light transmission at theSonobuoy/Optics Water Tank. Get up close to a variety of aircraft by visiting one of the many squadrons operating fixed and rotary wing aircraft, or theMaritime Demonstration

unmanned aircraft. Customized tours can be arranged such as anEnvironmental Education

tour featuring a visit to theRecycling Center, theFishing Point Restoration Project, or even aSpill Containment Exercise. These are just a few of the many tour sites. Our goal is to complement curriculum through real-world science experiences.

Options for lunch while on tour include picnicking at the Beach House, recreation areas, or the popu-lar, “Lunch with an Engineer or Scientist” program at the Cedar Point Club, which is suitable for high school seniors. Students will be seated with an employee to discuss their work along with their education and career path. This is a great way to establish mentoring and role models for students. Students and educators can explore the world of

science and engineering at Pax River. Groups of less than 30 are preferred, but larger groups up to 50 can be accommodated. Start your visit at the

Air Operations Towerand get a bird’s eye view of the installation from the tallest building in the tri-county area. Watch aircraft take-offs and landings, and learn how air traffic controllers keep the world’s busiest flight test center running. Nearby the tower isMechanical Solutions, the manufacturing area that produces aircraft modification parts. Learn how aircraft are outfitted with instrumentation at theAircraft Vehicle Maintenance Instrumentation (AVMI)Hangar 101. Learn how pilots are trained to test

aircraft at theUnited States Naval Test Pilot School, and explore the hangars and parachute loft. Explore the interface of man and machine at theHuman Systems Laboratories. TheHorizontal Accelerator, Vision, Textiles, Physiology Labsand more are available. Two simulators – theManned Flight and Half Dome– put students behind the stick of an aircraft while learning about advances

Student Employment Student temporary employment positions are available over the summer and holiday breaks. Applicants must be at least 16 years old. Students must post an application at this website in order to be consideredwww.navair.navy.mil/jobs.

Additionally, the Office of Naval Research offers the Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) positions for students. The deadline and procedures for applying to this program are located on this website,

www.asee.org/seap.

Job Fairs and Interviewing Schools are

encouraged to organize “mock” job interviewing programs to better prepare students for the work-ing world. We will provide engineers and scientists skilled in recruiting to participate.

Student Employment, Internships and Cooperative

Education (Co-Op) Opportunities

Student Internships Several schools require students to have a non-paid internship in their planned career field. We can accommodate a limited number of internships. We will match the student’s academic aspirations and career interests with specific work at Pax River.

Cooperative Education This program offers tuition assistance to college students who have completed one academic year of college study. The Co-Op Program provides a planned and progres-sive career-related student employment program which integrates academic studies and on-the-job work experience in a related field. The Co-Op Program is a recruitment vehicle for engineers, scientists and business management positions. A key advantage of the program is the opportunity for non-competitive conversion of the student from the Excepted Service into the Competitive Service

after satisfactory completion of their educational and work requirements. What a great way to work and learn.

For more information

(301)757-4119

www.hro.navair.navy.mil/training

The University of Maryland is piloting an undergraduate degree program in mechanical engineering through the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center. This degree program provides students a unique opportunity to pursue their engineering degrees in St. Mary’s County. Qualifying students may also apply to the Cooperative Education Program. This program provides planned and progressive career-related employment for students with at least one year of academic credit completed (sophomore level).

For additional information on the

University of Maryland degree programs contact the Director for Education and Research

Partnerships at(301) 342-9361 SMART Scholarships The Navy provides the SMART scholarship program and information about how to apply is located on this website.

www.asee.org/fellowships/smart/about.cfm

NAWCAD employees who are interested in assisting the education outreach effort should contact the Education Outreach Coordinator. Time spent in the classroom for authorized events is considered a part of the employee’s normal work schedule. Assistance is needed to provide aides to the STAR-BASE-Atlantis program to work with students in flight simulation, computer-aided design, and model rocketry. Assistance is also needed to develop unique programs for the STEM academies, teach NASA Sci Files, and robotics programs, conduct tours and more.

STEM Advisors

Program

Science

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Who’s Flying the Future?

Brittany

Great Mills High School 2003 St. Mary’s College of MD * BA Computer Science

“I enjoy my job. It’s right up my alley. It’s graphi-cal, interactive and it keeps me busy. I have a great team lead that pushes me and gives challenging tasks that has helped me to grow in my career.”

Angela

St. Mary’s Ryken High School 2001 St. Mary’s College of MD

* Biology/Chemistry

"There are so many great people here on base that are willing to mentor you and guide you in the right direction. There are endless career and educa-tion opportunities here on base that many people don't even know exist!

"I would suggest that the student find someone in the career field of his/her interest to mentor them. Most people will be happy to allow 'shadowing', so the student can come to work with their mentor for a day to get a real idea of what the work they are interested in will entail. I did this myself and ended up changing my career field.

Hear What Local Graduates are Saying

Jeffrey

Great Mills High School 2003 University of Maryland College Park

* Mechanical Engineering “I like working here. I get to do work that affects the warfighter and I am helping my country. “Make sure you take advantage of tours that are offered on base.”

Fore more information, contact:

Education Outreach Coordinator

(301) 342-2281 Bldg. 2185, Room 2185

22347 Cedar Point Rd Patuxent River, MD 20670

Education Outreach Coordinator

(Calvert County) (301) 706-0245

Higher Education and Research Partnerships

(301) 342-9361 Bldg. 2185, Room 2181 22347 Cedar Point Rd Patuxent River, MD 20670

Cooprerative Education Program

Frank Knox Training Center (301) 757-4119 21866 Cedar Point Rd Patuxent River, MD 20670

Education Outreach Office

Visit our website for additional information. WWW.NDEP.US/LABS/PATUXENTRIVER