MMAC Makes Large Presence at Junior Achievement Career Exploration Fair in Tulsa
JA Inspire Event held at the SageNet Center in Tulsa, OK.

For the second year in a row, a handful of STEM AVSED Outreach representatives from the FAA Academy and Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center’s (MMAC) Executive Services and Outreach participated in the annual JA Inspire event on February 28-29th at the Tulsa Fairgrounds.

Laura Shepherd-Madsen and Justin Cockroft assist students in utilizing flight simulators during the JA Inspire Expo.
Katy Williams talks to a student about the various careers available in aviation.

The event is a learning experience that includes an in-class career exploration curriculum and culminates with a career fair. The fair features Oklahoma companies, showcasing high-demand industries, like aerospace, and is aligned with the career cluster framework developed by the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technical Education. Students in grades 8th through 12th represented 39 unique schools and districts from across Oklahoma.

Jamie Loving observes students lining up to test their skills in flight simulation.

Approximately 7,000 students participated in this 2-day event. The Aeronautical Center invited students to try two different simulators (fixed-wing and rotorcraft) to experience.

Participants could also try their hand at the air traffic control exercise known as PRACTICE. The outreach for this event was quite remarkable.

Mallory Jentho helps a student learn how to vector traffic on the PRACTICE simulator.
Employees from the FAA Academy assisted with operating the air traffic control PRACTICE simulator. (L-R) Robert Molden, Air Traffic Training Branch; Mallory Jentho and Wayne Hygema of the Air Traffic Terminal Radar Development Unit.

Numerous industries and activities were introduced at this event. The MMAC’s booth had the longest lines of students wanting to experience aviation through the simulators.

Outreach programs such as this continue to provide free, life-changing opportunities to area students, helping to enlighten them about careers that might interest them.

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