Virginia Space Flight Academy announces new partnership

The Virginia Space Flight Academy (VASFA) is proud to announce its new partnership with Newport News Public Schools (NNPS) as part of a $2 million grant awarded by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) to advance STEM education for students across 12 NNPS schools. The five-year “Mission STEM: Pioneering Pathways in Robotics and Space Exploration” initiative will provide groundbreaking opportunities for students to engage in high-level STEM programs focusing on robotics, space exploration, and autonomous systems.
 
As part of this collaboration, VASFA will play a key role in delivering impactful STEM programs that inspire students to explore STEM career pathways and build critical skills for the future. The partnership will focus on three primary areas of STEM engagement during the implementation years of the grant:

STEM Academy Experience: Each year, up to 300 students from grades 6 through 8 will participate in VASFA’s highly regarded STEM Academy. Students will explore interactive modules in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Aeronautics, Aerospace, Robotics, and Coding, providing an engaging and immersive STEM learning experience.

Space Adventure Camp Experience: Each summer, 30 NNPS students ages 11 through 16 will attend VASFA’s renowned Space Adventure Camp at Wallops Island, where they’ll dive deep into real-world space exploration and aerospace science. Campers will also receive exclusive access to tours of NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, the Virginia Spaceport Authority, Rocket Lab, and NOAA facilities, connecting them with STEM professionals and setting their sites on STEM careers.

High School Day Camp Program: VASFA will design and implement a cutting-edge aerospace day camp curriculum exclusively for NNPS high school students. This comprehensive summer program will engage up to 120 students from grades 9 and 10 annually, immersing them in hands-on experiences with aerospace technology, engineering, and rocket science. In addition to student engagement, the program will offer professional development and specialized training for NNPS teachers, empowering them with the tools and resources to bring aerospace concepts into the day camp and classrooms year-round.

“We are thrilled to partner with Newport News Public Schools in this mission to inspire the future leaders of the aerospace industry,” said Kim Check, Executive Director of VASFA. “This collaboration will give students unique opportunities to explore aerospace topics and STEM fields in a way that ignites curiosity, deepens knowledge, and prepares them for future careers.”
 
This partnership aligns with NNPS’s goal to expand high-quality STEM education. “We are honored and grateful to receive this significant grant from the DoDEA,” said NNPS STEM Instructional Supervisor Tami Byron. “It will allow us to build on our STEM offerings for students and provide them with additional opportunities to explore the many ways to apply those skills.”
 
VASFA’s unwavering commitment to STEM education is at the heart of this initiative. By providing real-world learning experiences and access to STEM professionals, VASFA continues its mission to create pathways for students to explore aerospace and make a lasting impact on STEM education in Newport News and beyond.