Cooperative Living November/December 2021 - 10

SpotLight | by Preston Knight, Contributing Writer
Students of the Sky
NEXTGEN Aviators aims to take learning to new heights
I
nquiring minds wanted to know:
Has anyone ever fallen asleep on one
of these things?
The small plane has just finished
taxiing after a roughly 15-minute,
1,200-foot-high flight over
Harrisonburg, Va. and surrounding
Rockingham County when deboarding
youths from a local private school
aired their final line of questions.
" Yeah, but hopefully not the pilot, "
one of the two navigators answers
about slumbering amid clouds.
This brief exchange plays into a
much bigger picture. Young
their
or the tiniest
o
much bigger picture. oung and old,
much bigger picture. Young and old,
we're all fascinated by airplanes, be
it the grandeur of their construction
and old,
construction
or the tiniest details, such as whether
details, such as
whether
one can catch some z's while aboard.oard.
The time has come to capitalize on
this marvel at Dynamic Aviation, a
worldwide leader in special-mission
aviation solutions for government and
commercial customers. Through its
NEXTGEN Aviators program and
generosity of partner sponsors, it is
taking students to the skies as part of
an immersive, hands-on experience in
which they begin to realize their own
limitless potential.
" Kids cannot be what they cannot
see, " President and CEO Michael
Stoltzfus says.
FANNING THE FLAMES
In late August, at its corporate
headquarters in Rockingham County,
Dynamic hosted its first NEXTGEN
event, attracting more than 220
students from nearby Blue Ridge
Christian School and two local
homeschool cooperatives. At that time,
NEXTGEN already had commitments
to host or visit about 7,500 middle
and high school-age students around
Virginia.
During an action-packed, threehour
session, students rotated through
a series
of technical stations
do
flight in a Beechcraft King Air 90 and
visited
flight in a Beechcraft King Air 90 and
visited a trailer with a dozen flight
simulators. For some, it was their
in
Beechcraft King Air
trailer with
For some, it was
90 and
fli
simulators.is mulators. For some, it was their
first time in an airplane. For all, it was
their inaugural, detailed look at the
ins and outs of aerodynamics, avionics
their
and more.
" I think this is amazing, " says
Andrea Rhodes, one of the homeschool
coordinators. " It's inspiring dreams for
their career and for life. It's giving them
something to look forward to or inspire
to be. "
NEXTGEN's primary goal is not to
spur the next generation of pilots or
airline mechanics, though organizers
would be happy to see an influx of
a series of technical stations, boarded a
series of technical stations, boarded a
vintage World War II-era DC-3, took
flight
newfound interest. The mission is
broader Stoltzfus says
roader. Stoltzfus says the lessons
the
lessons
broader. Stoltzfus says the lessons
taught are focused on creating
momentum to address an increasing
number of unfilled positions in
construction trades, transportation and
logistics,logistics, manufacturing and STEMmanufacturing
and STEMrelated
positions.
" We have a huge workforce problem
locally and nationwide across multiple
industries, " he says. " What we have
found is that aviation; it's very technical
in nature. It's STEM, but also many of
the basics, bending metal, electrical
work and hydraulics. Much of what we
do with aircraft is similar in nature to
what is done in these other industries. "
" We're fanning the flame for what it
is these students were created to be. "
Anthony Whitehead, NEXTGEN's
relations and engagement specialist,
says: " Even if nothing about this sticks,
it's a positive experience. They're
learning something about themselves. "
Dynamic Aviation of Rockingham County created NEXTGEN Aviators to introduce high
school youth to careers in construction, transportation and logistics, and manufacturing.
The program launched in August and is offered to any interested school in Virginia.
8 | Cooperative Living | November-December 2021
BRINGING NEXTGEN TO YOU
Within the next three years,
Stoltzfus says the goal is to take
NEXTGEN up and down the East
Coast. To do so, it will need buy-in
from teachers and school
administrators - so far, so good there
- and then airports large enough to
host, which organizers are pleasantly
surprised to find is not a major issue
even in more rural spots.
A greater need is partners to cover
co-opliving.com
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Cooperative Living November/December 2021

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