HCA’s Discovering Flight Camp takes off in Hillsboro

Hillsboro Charter Academy has completed its inaugural “Discovering Flight: Problem Solving with Wilbur and Orville” summer camp. Created by the National Aviation Hall of Fame in collaboration with PBS Think TV and the Ohio Department of Education, this multidisciplinary curriculum focuses on the Wright brothers’ journey of perseverance and innovation, culminating in the first powered, controlled flight.

Days 1 and 2: Laying the Groundwork
The camp, open to HCA’s upcoming 3rd graders, kicked off with a flurry of excitement and anticipation. To earn their spots, HCA scholars wrote essays explaining their interest in aviation, which served as their “flight tickets” to this unique educational experience. The curriculum, particularly significant to Hillsboro because Susan Koerner Wright, the Wright brothers’ mother, was born in Hillsboro, introduced the young learners to the principles of flight and the history of the Wright brothers.

Day 3: Final Flight Plan
The final day of camp was a grand showcase of the week’s achievements. Campers performed a reader’s theater, complete with a real bicycle, emphasizing perseverance and a growth mindset inspired by the Wright brothers. Following this, a thrilling paper airplane competition allowed teams to apply their engineering skills, with the winning team determined by the longest flight distance. Mayor Vance, the Mayor of Hillsboro, even joined in the fun.

Significant academic improvements were seen during the camp, with scholars’ test scores soaring from an average of 40% on the pretest to an average of 92% on the posttest. Additionally, every camper mastered the phonetic alphabet, an essential tool in aviation communication.

A historical tour through Hillsboro led campers to a marker honoring Susan Koerner Wright, further connecting them to the legacy of the Wright brothers. The campers learned that the father of Susan, which would have been the Wright brothers’ grandfather, was a blacksmith and that had a big influence on how Susan raised Orville and Wilbur. This tour was highlighted by another special visit from Hillsboro’s Mayor Vance, adding a touch of local pride to the proceedings.

Flight Friday: Soaring High and Putting It Into Practice
The camp’s culmination, dubbed FLIGHT FRIDAY, was an unforgettable experience. Through the EAA Young Eagles Program, campers had the opportunity to fly in a Cessna airplane, piloted by Mia Anderson, an enthusiastic volunteer and accomplished fixed wing and glider pilot. Mia, Miss Virginia Teen Volunteer, has been a dedicated volunteer at HCA for three years, and her passion for sharing her love of aviation was evident throughout the day. The campers also toured the Air Traffic Control trailer at Leesburg Executive Airport, gaining a comprehensive understanding of aviation operations.

The highlight of the day was that these young aviators were granted a thrilling flight over Hillsboro and HCA, providing a bird’s-eye view of the town and their school. This experience, generously facilitated by Mia and supported by her parents, both Southwest Airlines professionals, left an indelible mark on the young aviators.

Acknowledgments
The success of the Discovering Flight Camp would not have been possible without the support of many dedicated individuals and organizations. Special thanks to the National Aviation Hall of Fame, PBS Think TV, and the Ohio Department of Aviation for developing such an engaging curriculum. Heartfelt gratitude goes to the volunteers, particularly the teachers, Mrs. Megan Tucker and Mrs. Jackie Blumer, for their tireless efforts and passion to bring this camp to life in Virginia.  

Mrs. Tucker, the Dean of Curriculum and STEAM Specialist at HCA, was granted this curriculum when she was awarded the 2023 National Aviation Hall of Fame Scott. A. Crossfield Aerospace Educator of the Year Award this past September. She immediately had a vision for using it as a summer camp and Hillsboro was the PERFECT location with the connection to the Wright Brothers. 

She invited Mrs. Blumer, an award-winning aerospace educator from Illinois to help her facilitate the program.  Both Tucker and Blumer are Limitless Space Institute Educators, which is how they met each other while attending the Space Exploration Educators Conference in Houston, TX in February of 2023. These two educators provided our local HCA scholars with a FREE enriching and inspiring STEAM program through the collaboration of other organizations. 

Hillsboro Charter Academy and the Town of Hillsboro graciously donated their space for the camp to take place.  The National Aviation Hall of Fame provided the curriculum as well as an initial $100 gift card to Mrs. Tucker to help with materials and supplies in order to implement the curriculum. Supporting educational materials were also provided by various esteemed aerospace education organizations that Mrs. Tucker and Mrs. Blumer work directly with, such as the Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education Team, the Air & Space Forces Association (AFA), Women in Aviation International, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Limitless Space Institute, ISS National Laboratory, and NASA.