Over 400 VA Eastern Shore Students to build, launch, and lead at 2nd Annual Aerospace Day and AAES Academy Kickoff

Hands-on rockets, drones, and engineering challenges connect every 8th grader in Accomack and Northampton County Public Schools to Virginia’s expanding future in Aerospace flight, engineering, and space technology.

More than 400 eighth-grade students from Accomack and Northampton County Public Schools will join educators, ODU faculty, and leading aerospace partners for the 2nd Annual Aerospace Academy Kickoff & Aerospace Day on Friday, November 7, 2025, from 8:15am-1:15pm at Eastern Shore Community College. Model rockets will launch, drones will fly, and the next generation of aerospace innovators will take center stage through immersive, hands-on learning experiences that bring STEM education to life.

The event brings together Accomack County Public Schools, Northampton County Public Schools, Eastern Shore Community College, and Old Dominion University in a powerful partnership that connects classroom learning to real-world careers in flight, engineering, and space technology, highlighting Virginia’s growing aerospace industry. Throughout the day, students will take part in hands-on sessions that include rocket building and launches, drone flight simulations, and wind-tunnel design challenges, creating immersive experiences that turn STEM learning into action. All eighth grade students will be invited to apply through a lottery system to the Aerospace Academy of the Eastern Shore for their high school years.

Virginia’s leading aerospace partners, including the Wallops Contractors Association (WCA), the Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC), Rocket Lab, the Virginia Spaceport Authority (VSA), The Nature Conservancy, and the Virginia Space Flight Academy (VSFA), will join ODU faculty and educators to engage students and highlight the career pathways fueling the Commonwealth’s growing aerospace sector.

Now in its second year, Aerospace Day has become a hallmark of collaboration on Virginia’s Eastern Shore celebrating bold ideas, shared partnerships, and the limitless potential of young innovators.

Applications for the next cohort of rising 9th grade students for the  Aerospace Academy of the Eastern Shore will open on November 7, 2025.

For more information and the link to apply, visit aaes.oduceio.org.

About the Aerospace Academy of the Eastern Shore (AAES)

The Aerospace Academy of the Eastern Shore brings together Accomack County Public Schools, Northampton County Public Schools, Eastern Shore Community College, and Old Dominion University in a partnership dedicated to preparing students for Virginia’s growing aerospace and related industries. The Academy offers immersive, hands-on learning experiences that build clear pathways from classroom discovery to college, careers, and community leadership.