JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
(Note: This is reprinted courtesy of DCMilitary.com.)
From building jets to saving lives, the Joint Base Andrews STEAM exhibition at this year’s air show teaches K–12 students how science, tech, engineering, arts and math shape the future of the Air Force.
The exhibit, “Elevate & Innovate: Building the Airmen of Tomorrow,” will be located in the same hangar housing the aircraft featured in the Sept. 13–14 airshow. Attendees will have the opportunity to touch the planes, learn how they take flight and meet Thunderbird pilots, who will be signing autographs.
Students can explore cuttingedge technology and connect with service members and STEAM professionals to gain insight into the diverse careers that rely on curiosity and critical thinking across the Air Force.
“We get asked, ‘Hey, what plane do you fly?’ That’s a very small percentage of the Air Force and the military as a whole,” MSgt Armond, USAF heavy repair superintendent and structural engineer, said.
STEAM Day, celebrated ahead of the air show on Sept. 12, is designed to inspire and educate the next generation. Students can explore the role of STEAM in military operations and discover how Airmen have driven technological progress for decades. The airshow and STEAM Day take place just days before the Air Force’s 78th anniversary.
“A lot of us have a lot of different jobs,” Armond said. “Having the knowledge of the plethora and the array of jobs that we
have in the Air Force, I think that can really go a long way to inspire kids, even adults, to come and join to see how they can be part of the big picture.”
The exhibit, first launched in 2017 at Joint Base Andrews, has grown alongside rapid technological advancements.
“So much has happened since the beginning,” said Matrice Brooks, the JBA school liaison program manager, who coordinates with local schools to ensure all local students have an opportunity to explore USAF exhibits, projects and internships.
Activate: Special Warfare, a four-dimensional VR experience based on the Air Force’s TV commercial “The Calm and the Storm,” will also be available to attendees. It portrays a firefight in a deployed location between Special Warfare operators and enemy combatants, testing the user’s composure, observation, reaction and effectiveness. Students will also have access to medical education & training
simulators, offering a realistic look at Air Force medical training.
The exhibit is ADA-compliant and accessible to all K–12 students from public, private and homeschool settings across the D.C. Metro area. Local schools are encouraged to visit for field trips and engage with Andrews for internships and projects that will equip students with hands-on learning opportunities while exploring their interests.
“These [students] are our future leaders…the exhibit exposes them to all the different careers that are associated with STEAM,” Brooks said.
As part of the Air Force’s broader mission to connect with the community, local partners and Fortune 500 companies will be on-site as exhibitors. Organizations like the Environmental Management Office will also share how the USAF works to preserve nature while still meeting mission goals.
Confirmed exhibitors include the American Society of Aviation Artists, Army Research Lab, Air Force Performance Lab, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, Maryland Model Aviation, NASA Goddard, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Smithsonian, Society of American Military Engineers, United Airlines,
Washington Wizards and more.
Whether students are aiming high for a future in the Air Force or simply curious about STEAM, the exhibit is a free, family-friendly event designed for aspiring innovators.
“The sooner that we’re able to introduce students to these types of things that exist, they can have better aspirations and plan sooner than waiting until they’ve graduated high school,” Armond said.