2024 saw the addition of many programs, new and continuing, for the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE). Over the last year, ACE has reached 30,000 students through all of our aviation and STEM-focused programs! As we continue pushing our mission to engage, educate, and accelerate the next generation of aerospace professionals, let’s dive into the many new and continuing programs that ACE has to offer year-round.
Opening of the Jerry Holland Destination: Aviation Playground
On June 10, 2024, Sheltair Aviation and the Aerospace Center for Excellence celebrated the grand opening of the Jerry Holland Destination: Aviation Playground. The playground is a tribute to Jerry Holland, who founded Sheltair Aviation Services in 1963. Jerry’s dedication to the general aviation and business aviation community has been instrumental in the growth of aviation in Florida.
The playground is a staple for youth attending the Florida Air Museum, STEM Sprouts, and StoryTime! This year, the playground makes its debut at the 2025 SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo from April 1-6, 2025, providing a spot for families attending the Aerospace Expo to play and relax.
Lakeland AeroClub Members Head to Poland
This summer, Lakeland AeroClub members headed to Ostrow, Poland for the 13th Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Junior World Gliding Championship in Ostrow, Poland. The five-member team consisted of the glider pilot, Steven Tellman, and the support crew: Qwest Hipps, Dallas Hurd, Kenneth Turbeville, and Matthew Turbeville. Visit https://www.lakelandaeroclub.org/ for more information on the team!
Junior ACES
Junior ACES is a dedicated youth education area during the annual SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo. The ACE team comes together during the week to provide enhanced learning and engagement opportunities for youth between the ages of 7-17. Junior ACES will be returning for the 2025 SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo! For more information on it, click here.
Field Trips
Field trips take students throughout our Skylab Innovation Center to interact with the various STEM activities in each classroom and the NOAA Science on a Sphere. Students get to visit the Florida Air Museum to take tours with our expert Museum staff and learn about aviation history. They also visit the Buehler Restoration Center to see many types of engines and restoration projects. For more information on how your school can get involved with field trips at ACE, click here.
Story Time
Story Time is a reading program we provide for free for kids 2-5 every Tuesday at the Florida Air Museum. Ms. Jennilyn interacts with the kids by singing songs, dancing, and of course, reading! We are currently in our 3rd year of StoryTime!
STEM Sprouts
We are so excited to bring on one of our newest programs, STEM Sprouts! This parent participation class is designed for children between 3-5 years old. Each week, students and parents will explore a letter of the alphabet and a corresponding aviation concept using engaging, hands-on, skill-based learning centered around play. Interested in learning more? Click here!
Wings ‘n Waffles
Chicken AND waffles?? Every month, we welcome an aerospace professional to speak about their career and give adults a perspective on what the aerospace industry has to offer. It’s a great learning experience. Those who attend get to listen while eating delicious chicken and waffles. Yum!
This month, we began our Buehler Build Edition of Wings ‘n Waffles! We learn about the history of riveting while eating our yummy chicken and waffles, then we roll up our sleeves and head to the Buehler Restoration Center to create our own cookie cutters!
Classroom to the Sky
In February, a group of 3rd-5th grade teachers experienced a day full of hands-on STEM and aerospace-based activities to bring into their classroom for their students. With educational session and a presentation from keynote speaker, NOAA Corps Captain Nathan Kahn, the teachers also had a tasty breakfast catered for them. At the end of the day, two educators were selected for a discovery flight!
Summer Camps
Since 1999, ACE has been operating summer camps every year. This past year, there were five camps for ages 7-17. Take Flight, STEMtastic, She Can Fly, Destination Aviation, and Destination Aviation: Air Power camps engaged students in STEM-based activities, field trips to places like Jet Blue and Kennedy Space Center, held discovery flights, and so much more! Did you know summer camp registration is open for 2025? Click here to see what camps we will offer this summer!
Kid’s Museum Day
In May this year, we hosted Kid’s Museum Day at the Florida Air Museum. Museum admission was free, with had multiple activities inside and outside for the kids to enjoy! We had bounce houses, snow cones, Snapology, crafts, and food trucks! It was a day filled with family fun for everyone. Over 1,500 kids were in attendance!
Stuffed Animal Flight School
Has your stuffed animal ever dreamed of becoming a pilot? Stuffed Animal Flight School provided just the place for your furry friends to go for their flight training and complete their pilot’s certificate. The training began when the stuffed animals were dropped off at flight school, and then they went through rigorous training to complete their certificate. By the next day, they received their wings!
Girls in Aviation Day
In September, ACE hosted Girls in Aviation Day alongside the Women in Aviation Lakeland Chapter! The Florida Air Museum and the Skylab Innovation Center were opened up with many activities, guest speakers, and vendors for girls to come through and learn more about aviation!
Lifting Literacy
Our first annual Lifting Literacy event was a huge success! Students in grades Pre-K – 5th were tasked with using science and engineering to help beloved fairy tale characters escape the clutches of the evil villains in Fairy Tale Land. Thank you to our partners at YMCA of West Central Florida for breakfast and free books!
Wings ‘n Things
Every year, ACE puts together Wings ‘n Things, where kids of all ages can experience the wonders of aerospace through hands-on activities that range from building a wing rib to exploring flight through simulation, to constructing and testing your own balsa wood glider!
Flightoberfest and the Pumpkin Dash 5K
Our 1st annual Flightoberfest and 2nd annual Pumpkin Dash 5K was a fun fall-themed aviation event with live music, local breweries, aircraft displays, exhibitors, and more! The Pumpkin Dash 5K route went through the beautiful SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus with runners getting an optimal view of the Lakeland Airport and aircraft displays!
Flight Before Christmas
Our first Flight Before Christmas event at the Florida Air Museum was so fun and filled with Christmas cheer! Airplanes were the star of the show as guests walked through a maze of twinkling lights and enjoy warm apple cider, hot chocolate, and cookies. They even got the chance to take a selfie with Santa!
Polar Express: Air Mail Edition
Last month, to get into the spirit of Christmas, we took trips to the North Pole to visit Santa! The night included listening to Ms. Jennilyn read “The Polar Express” and then boarding the Piedmont 727, where their golden ticket was stamped. The flight included singing from one of Santa’s elves, and as soon as the flight landed, Santa greeted everyone on board! Everyone took selfies with Santa before returning to ACE where the kids were greeted with cookies and hot chocolate!
Gallery
Photos taken by Ron Stiltner
