Pathways to Aviation » May 2015 Bulletin

Incredible Speakers’ Forum

Well over two hundred guests filled the ballrooms at the University of Nevada to participate in our annual Pathways to Aviation Speakers’ Forum. The evening was highlighted by an informative and insightful presentation by Howard Putnam, former CEO of Southwest Airlines. The Forum gave us a chance to learn about the direction of the Washoe County School District and its quest to enhance STEM education, thanks to its interim superintendent, Traci Davis. Our friend, Marily Mora, shared the latest activities and vision for the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority.

Special thanks to everyone who made the event so special.
CLICK HERE to see a number of photos from the evening.

STEM Education initiative

We’re working closely with the Washoe County School District’s Career & Technical Education department to launch a unique pilot program to offer aviation (flight) into select STEM education classes. If (or when) successful, the program will expand to enable many more schools and classes to take advantage of the curriculum. The pilot will feature three different subjects, each assigned to a specific level. They are:

Rocketry – Elementary school level
Aircraft – Middle school level
Unmanned Arial Systems – High school level

The pilot program is entirely funded by private contributions through Pathways to Aviation.

More to follow on this initiative. Be sure to stay tuned!

Interested in Volunteering?

The Foundation is growing. Whether it’s the pilot program, career mentoring, special events, or our involvement with the Air Races, there are many ways to become actively involved with Pathways to Aviation. If you’re interested in volunteering, simply CLICK HERE to identify the areas of your interest.

Aviation Learning Center Created!

If you’ve visited the Foundation’s tent at the Air Races in recent years, you’ve noticed progressive growth in the size of our tent. It’s been by design, as part of a five-year strategy. Thanks to significant interest and endorsement, we’re more than doubling our footprint at the Air Races, by creating the Aviation Learning Center.

The Center will be located, as in the past, in the Heritage section of the airport. This year, the area will feature:

The National Aviation Heritage Invitational and its fleet of 30+ historic aircraft
Large “Hangar” tent comprising aviation nonprofits and businesses and featuring many hands-on activities
Large “Classroom” tent, featuring standards-based classes for children
Large open-air experiential zone, allowing for special activites
Workshops and presentations conducted by aviation experts, hall of fame enshrinees, and industry leaders
Special events aimed at connecting aviation enthusiasts and aficionados, celebrating aviation, and discussing future opportunities

We’re working to brand the Air Races, which showcases amazing races and aerial shows, as an educational hotspot.

Win free admission to Air Race Saturday!

RSVP to visit the Aviation Learning Center at the Air Races. We’ll put your name in a drawing to award General Admission, Pit Pass, and Parking for one lucky patron.
Click here to RSVP

Book an Educational Field Trip

The new, second (Classroom) tent at the Air Races was added to host educational classes throughout the week. Between Wednesday and Friday, the tent is reserved for schools coming to the Air Races through pre-planned field trips. Teachers will be able to conduct classes in the tent, using aviation experts as assistants, facilitators, or the primary presenters. By conducting standards-based classes, we’re providing exceptional educational value to students and their instructors.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the field trips and read about one major change.

Plan to Attend these Upcoming Events

Below is a list of events featured on the Pathways to Aviation calendar. Click on the links for more details.

Buy advanced Air Races tickets and help the Foundation

Pathways to Aviation is partnering with tix4cause to increase attendance at the upcoming National Championship Air Races.

tix4cause introduces a new way to supplement the ticket offering by creating relationships with businesses, non-profits, and venues looking to fill empty seats or sell tickets. The goal of the partnership is to drive more patrons to the Air Races and, at the same time, support the newly created Aviation Learning Center.

The Foundation added the new and unique opportunity as a way to increase advance purchases, yet not conflicting with online ticket sales through the official Air Race website. The tix4cause platform provides ticket purchasers with a safe, secure, and reliable system to make advance purchases for both season and daily passes.
CLICK HERE to learn more and buy tickets.

Invest in the advancement of aviation education and history

The Foundation is able to create new initiatives, build new partnerships, and identify new opportunities thanks to outstanding financial support. Join the Crew by making a donation – the amount of your choice – to help us continue this exciting journey of aviation excellence. Every donor makes an indelible mark on our pathway.

The Aviation Learning Center will not exist without a financial investment. Similarly, offering aviation STEM ed classes will not happen without financial support.

CLICK HERE to make an investment, where the ROI features considerable metrics, data, impact, and legacy.

Thank You!

Very few organizations, either businesses or nonprofits, advance goals to meet their visions as quickly as the Foundation. We’ll always be Reno Air Racing’s Foundation to support the annual Air Races, but we’re now forging new territory to inspire, inform, engage, and connect young people with the world of aviation. The support and endorsements received from the greater and aviation communities has been overwhelming. Thanks to you, this is just the beginning!