Scenes from Ada City Schools’ aviation program flashed on a wall as parents and students took their seats Thursday night at Ada High School.
The montage also showed photos of the high school’s robotics team, providing another example of the district’s commitment to providing educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) as well as aviation.
The slide show kicked off the grand opening of Ada High’s new aviation and STEM labs, which gave district officials a chance to thank the community for making the labs possible.
“Through the help of many, many people, we have got aviation in pre-K through 12th grade, and we’ve got STEM labs at every school site in pre-K through 12th grade,” said Superintendent Mike Anderson. “You’re going to get an opportunity tonight to see a little bit of that here at this site. We’re very proud of them.”
He said the district’s aviation program will make it possible for Ada High students to earn their pilot’s license before they graduate and explore aviation-related career paths.
Ada City Manager Cody Holcomb said the aviation program grew out of a meeting between Holcomb, Anderson and members of Chapter 1005 of the Experimental Aircraft Association, and he was amazed at the results.
Holcomb added that Ada’s aviation program is on everyone’s radar now, and people want to know the story behind it.
“Now they’re coming, and they want the secret sauce on how we do this,” he said. “I tell people the secret sauce is it’s an idea, and it’s people that are wiling to engage and make their community better. And this is a testament to what you can do if you’ll do that.”
Paula Kedy, executive director of academics and instruction for the school district, said the district is helping students explore possible careers in STEM- and aviation-related fields.
“It’s about pathways, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” she said.
Touring the labs
After officials finished speaking, the Ada Area Chamber of Commerce conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the aviation lab.
Following the ribbon cutting, some people lingered in the aviation lab to check out a small model of an airport, climb inside an airplane section or check out a flight simulator. Other people toured the science lab or stopped in the commons area to watch the robotics team at work.
Ada High senior Tim Wakefield, who was standing next to the model airport in the aviation lab, said he appreciated Ada City Schools’ efforts to provide STEM opportunities for students.
“I think it’s very good considering what other schools around us have,” said Wakefield, who wanted to learn more about aviation but does not plan to pursue a career in that field. “I’m just very grateful to be here and to have a board that cares about the STEM program.”
Ada High junior Hannah Barnes said she became interested in pursuing an aviation-related career when she enrolled in the first year of the aviation program at Ada Junior High School. She said she considered becoming a pilot at first, but the program opened her eyes to other possible careers in the field.
“Learning how to fly, and learning about all the controls in an airplane, is easier than I thought,” Barnes said. “So I thought, ‘Hey, if being a pilot doesn’t work out, there are all these other aviation-related careers I could go into.’”
The school district has installed STEM labs at every school, including the elementary schools and the junior high. Funding came from a variety of sources, including grants, donations and part of the proceeds from a 2018 bond issue.
The $2.59 million bond issue provided money for technology upgrades, new textbooks and buses, and the STEM labs. The labs at the elementary schools were funded by a combination of grants from the DART Foundation and a portion of the bond issue proceeds, while the labs at the junior high and high school were primarily financed with bond issue money.
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