Who we are

The mission of Susquehanna STEM to the Skies is to encourage STEM learning in classrooms using an aviation focus that will inspire both careers and future advanced technical education. In addition to having a STEM curriculum integrated into high school courses that focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, STEM students practice trade, career, college-enabling, and life-long success skills.  Aviation teaches decision-making, resource management, hazardous attitude remedies, communication, and collaboration skills that become life-long tools for success. Our program exposes students and their parents to aviation-related career opportunities by offering the hands-on experience at the Penn Valley Airport during both evening and weekend classes (as well as school day field trips, if requested) taught by both pilots, flight instructors and airplane mechanics: We discuss career opportunities in aviation and offer discussions with airline pilots, corporate pilots, military pilots, maintenance technicians, an airport manager and (on an “as available” basis) a Geisinger Life flight helicopter pilot. In our program, high school students will be exposed to topics such as meteorology, aerodynamics, physics, airspace design, aviation safety, and radio navigation and communication. Preliminary explanations our classroom will be followed with students applying the learned concepts through hands-on experiences in our full-motion simulator. One example of a nationally approved STEM curriculum is attached for your review. Our eventual goal is to encourage STEM learning in classrooms through an aviation approach that will inspire both careers and future advanced technical education. As noted, the aviation industry is composed of an array of STEM disciplines. In our program, high school and technical school students will be exposed to topics such as meteorology, aerodynamics, physics, airspace design, aviation safety, and radio navigation and communication.