From Crayons to Cubicles: MMAC Celebrates Bring Your Child to Work Day
Vol.10 Issue 4
Families gathered in the HQ Pavilion for a group photo to start the day

The morning of April 25th started slightly differently than usual at the Aeronautical Center. Security helped to check-in multiple employees with their children in recognition of the annual ’Bring Your Child to Work Day.’ Due to the COVID global health crisis, the Aeronautical Center has not been able to host this activity since 2019. Many children were eager to come to work with their parents to see what they do behind the gated fences–every day.

Over seventy families registered to participate in this one-day event. This day is planned in coordination with a nationally recognized event among various employers, from government to manufacturing to entertainment. The goal is to expose children to what their parents do during the work-day, while showing them the value of an education, helping them to visibly discover what it means to manage work and home life, and help their children to see how they can envision a work future.

Michelle Coppedge, Director of the Aeronautical Center, kicked off the event with a warm welcome in the headquarters auditorium, sharing a video with the families and explaining the value of what they would be seeing later in the day at different locations. Coppedge stated, "Everyone at the MMAC works for the federal government, and your parents play a vital role in our country. Your parents are critical in making our country and airspace the best and safest in the world." Coppedge also explained that it was by going to work with her father when she was younger, on a similar type of day, that she realized that she wanted to be an engineer. She encouraged the kids to stay curious and ask questions, as this is the best way to learn and improve the world.

This was also an excellent opportunity to showcase what a Top Workplace in Oklahoma looks like for many family members, since the Aeronautical Center has been ranked a top workplace in the Oklahoman for the past four consecutive years.

Families initially gathered outside to take a large group photo in the MMAC Pavilion. Then, everyone who registered for an event went to their respective locations, while many chose to go to their parents' offices. No matter where they went, the children gained meaningful awareness of what it means to be federally employed while gaining insight into many diverse occupations.

Special thanks to all the organizations that supported this event and provided an engaging activity for many MMAC family members. Organizations that participated include the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, the FAA Academy, Enterprise Services Center, Executive Services and Outreach, the Transportation Safety Institute, True Sky Credit Union, and Blue Sky Café.

Employees and their children could visit different buildings, see different work environments, experience aviation interactively, walk through the tunnel, visit the EA Bookstore to purchase mementos, and then wrap up the day with a special kids menu at Blue Sky. With any luck, in a few years, some of these children might consider future employment at the Aeronautical Center or the Federal Aviation Administration.

The day concluded at lunchtime, but one thing’s for sure; every child who visited the Aeronautical Center that day gained new insight and understands that "safety" is an important part of everything we do.

Bring Your Child to Work Day Video

Families learned about water survival at the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
A child poses near one of CAMI’s dummies
Passing the 1G baby dummy before being shown how much a 3G baby weighs in comparison
Visitors in the Enterprise Services Center’s green screen studio
Several flight simulators were one of the highlights of the Bring Your Child to Work day
Families navigate their way around the Aeronautical Center with a BYCTWD map which was provided especially for the day
Children were given a glimpse into the FAA Academy’s Air Traffic Controller training
Having lunch with dad and grandpa at the Blue Sky Café


Families learn about aircraft accident investigation at the Transportation Safety Institute
 
 
 
 
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