Summer Youth Event Recap

While College of Aeronautics and Engineering students took part in summer internships, traveled, and took a much needed break, the College hosted a number of programs for local elementary, junior high and high school students!

Aeronautics Careers (ACE) Academy

In June, high school students from six local schools took part in the Six District Educational Compact’s annual summer Aeronautics Career (ACE) Academy. For five days students from local school districts were led through field trips, demonstrations, and hands-on activities to expose them to the wide variety of different careers available in the aeronautics industry.

On Day 1, participants traveled to Burke Lakefront Airport where they toured the Air traffic Control tower, Zone Aviation, Signature FBO, and the International Women’s Air and Space Museum. They also visited FlexJet. On Day 2, participants visited the Akron Canton Airport and learned about the Ohio National Guard Unit there before exploring the MAPS Air Museum. On Day 3, participants took part in a demonstration at the College of Aeronautics and Engineering’s Air Traffic Control simulator lab, engaged in a metalcasting activity, and got to fly miniature drones outside of the College. On Day 4, participants visited the ARFF unit and hangar at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, learned about the K-9 unit, and toured Cleveland SkyQuest. On the final day, participants visited Castle Aviation, and learned about airport and aircraft maintenance, operations, and had the opportunity to fly with a Kent State University pilot.

Photo Gallery

Saturdays are for STEM Girls

On June 24th, Saturdays are for STEM Girls, a new, local non-profit founded to promote careers in STEM to girls across the region, hosted their first major outreach event. One hundred girls in third through 8th grades from many different schools, with some even driving an hour to attend the inaugural event. Jenna Glasure, Co-Founder and President of Saturdays Are for STEM Girls, says that the inspiration for all of this comes from her own childhood experiences. “Growing up in a small town, I had no idea what it meant to be an engineer. I never considered it a career path until I started playing with robots myself. Today, as a professional in the world of engineering, the lack of female representation in the field is striking. I wanted to give young girls a chance to see that a future in STEM just might be for them.” Abbey Glasure, Co-Founder and Vice President of Saturdays Are for STEM Girls, says that none of this would have been possible without Jenna’s commitment to this cause. “I've been incredibly inspired by Jenna's dedication and personal mission in hosting this event and forming the non-profit. She's put in endless time and energy alongside her insane daily schedule. It was heartwarming for myself and many others to see her dream realized.”

During the day-long event, participants visited four different stations and received personalized instruction on each of the topics included. Volunteers staffed ten sessions in total, which included a metal casting session, flying drones, and learning about industrial robotics. This event was made possible by volunteers from Olstrad Engineering, the Kent State University College of Aeronautics and Engineering, and various Kent State student organizations. The following sponsors also provided support:

Gold Level Sponsors:

Bronze Level Sponsors:

Additional Sponsors: