Teacher inspires students with AOPA curriculum

Natalie Campana, a STEM teacher at Steubenville High School in Steubenville, Ohio, recalls that first flight, on TWA, with a laugh. She was three years old and, despite a fascination with airplanes, she was bored and restless. “The flight was so long, and I just couldn’t sit still,” she said. “I was just a kid who wasn’t behaving well.”

After the rough start, Campana, who grew up watching and identifying airplanes that flew over her home, gradually made her way to the cockpit and beyond. She learned to fly in college and became a teacher at a vocational school. At that point she came up with a plan to develop an aviation-based science, technology, engineering, and math program, but her boss at the time declined.

“When I suggested the idea of teaching aviation he said, ‘Absolutely not,’ and that was so disappointing,” Campana said. A colleague, however, thought her plan would work and was supportive. He happened to be preparing to take a job at Steubenville and suggested that Campana join him there. “Everything fell into place,” she said.

Campana is quick to point out that the school’s successful aviation STEM program, which includes investment in a $30 million STEM facility for students, is the result of a broad team effort that included the AOPA Foundation High School Aviation STEM Curriculum. Among the program’s goals is the promotion of the curriculum to schools seeking to engage students and expose them to valuable skills that could lead to rewarding jobs in aviation. The program is aimed in part at schools serving underrepresented communities. It is also working to overcome a trend of students feeling increasingly disengaged according to surveys and studies over the past few years.

Lessons cater to a range of learning styles and offer several approaches, from watching videos and taking notes to performing hands-on engineering and design tasks. Design projects including building a hot air balloon out of tissue paper or creating a balloon rocket help students have fun while learning STEM concepts.

“The project-based approach keeps students interested whether they want to become pilots, work in other areas of aviation or use the skills they develop for other pursuits,” Campana said. Steubenville has placed graduates in training schools including LIFT Academy and other pilot, technician, and aviation management programs.

The AOPA curriculum includes seven courses for students in grades nine through 12 and can be used in public, private, charter, or parochial high school settings. It is also available for homeschool co-op programs at the high school level.

The You Can Fly program and the Air Safety Institute are funded by charitable donations to the AOPA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. To be a part of the solution, visit www.aopafoundation.org/donate.