Sparr Elementary launches Future Aviators Academy

Sparr Elementary School students help cut the ribbon to their new Future Aviators Academy, the newest program in Marion County Public Schools. [Courtesy of Marion County Public Schools]

Sparr Elementary School students examine the Marion County Sheriff’s Office helicopter up close and personal. [Courtesy of Marion County Public Schools]

For students at Sparr Elementary School, the sky is the limit for careers thanks to a new aviation program that recently took flight.

“The Future Aviators Academy is a one-of-a-kind program igniting passion, aspiration, and intrigue in the aviation industry—all within the minds of elementary students,” noted the Maron County Public Schools news release.

The program offers students opportunities to improve their skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics by sparking interest in STEM-based careers within the aerospace industry. The program aligns with the Civil Air Patrol Program at the nearby North Marion Middle School.

All third through fifth-grade students in the Future Aviators Academy will learn by engaging with the fundamental concepts and approaches of aerospace engineering, historical developments in aviation, industry contributions, and aviation regulations and safety, according to the news release.

The program involves students in three main components of learning: engagement in the classroom, exploration of the industry, and extension of experiences via field trips and guest speakers.

Sparr Elementary School staff members, Marion County School Board Chair Dr. Allison Campbell, and Superintendent Dr. Diane Gullett pose with pilots and personnel from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office to celebrate the school’s new Future Aviators Academy. [Courtesy of Marion County Public Schools]

Students helped cut a ribbon to officially open the program and were treated to a visit from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office helicopter unit.