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The Bartlesville Public School District is implementing a new curriculum focused on the second-leading industry in the State of Oklahoma: aeronautics.

Bartlesville High School will use the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) "You Can Fly" High School Curriculum, set to begin in the fall of 2022. The district's nationally awarded STEM pathway currently includes Computer Science and Engineering. The two new courses, Introduction to Aviation and Aerospace and General Aviation and Aerospace, will be taught by Ashlee Hightower. The curriculum is designed to provide high-quality STEM-based aviation education to high school students and open the door to a variety of aviation careers.

The district was awarded a two-year grant from the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission which includes curriculum materials, teacher professional development, a drone with a two-day drone workshop, and participation in Student Pilot Day at Oklahoma State University.

The district was awarded a Redbird flight simulator from the Corporate Aircraft Association in partnership with the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission.

The district hopes to work closely with Bartlesville Municipal Airport and local corporations to provide field trips, job shadowing, and internships in the field of aviation and aerospace.

According to Bartlesville Public Schools Superintendent Chuck McCauley, the curriculum will complement many career opportunities available in Bartlesville and surrounding communities. “These courses not only prepare students for post-secondary success, but also teach them critical skills needed to fill jobs in one of our state’s most thriving industries.”

BPS administrators and staff say they are thankful for the local pilots who have been helpful in starting the new program: Kevin Potter, Board Member of the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, and Rick Boswell, Vice-President of the Bartlesville Board of Education.

For additional details about the AOPA and its curriculum, visit AOPA.org/Curriculum.