AeroVironment Propels STEM Learning at Flory
AeroVironment Engineer Matt Keennon pilots Ingenuity, a replica of the helicopter flown on Mars, for students at Flory Academy of Sciences and Technology during an assembly Tues., April 23.
(Moorpark, California) April 23, 2024—Flory Academy of Sciences and Technology, a STEM school in Moorpark Unified School District, proudly announces a new ongoing partnership with AeroVironment to advance STEM education and empower the next generation of engineers and scientists.
The Virginia-based aerospace and defense company will donate classroom equipment, new school artwork and other resources to Flory, further enhancing its curriculum and extracurricular activities.
AeroVironment hosted an assembly at Flory on April 23 to show students an identical model of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter that AeroVironment’s team of innovative engineers helped design and develop alongside fellow engineers at NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was carried by the Mars rover Perseverance, which landed on Mars in 2021 and performed its final flight on January 18.
According to AeroVironment, Ingenuity was the first flight of a rotorcraft on another celestial body.
“Designed for a five-flight technology demonstration, Ingenuity far exceeded expectations by successfully completing an astounding 72 flights before retiring in Martian soil,” the company said.
James Dearborn, head of talent acquisition at AeroVironment, highlighted the company's longstanding dedication to supporting education initiatives.
"AeroVironment has been donating and supporting events to different schools throughout our history," said Dearborn, who has been instrumental in bringing AeroVironment’s resources to Flory. "Within the last few years, we have created a community outreach team called IMPACT! that has centralized this effort throughout the organization."
With over 1,000 employees in Moorpark and its surrounding communities, AeroVironment, best known for manufacturing unmanned aerial vehicles, recognizes the importance of providing educational opportunities for MUSD students.
"We want to make an IMPACT! in our local communities," stated Dearborn. "As an engineering company, we love to partner with STEM schools to support and further a love of learning for science, technology, engineering and math.”
The partnership between AeroVironment and Flory aligns with the company's vision for the future, which includes fostering innovation and inspiring young minds.
"In addition to inspiring these students to pursue STEM careers, we want to show them the opportunities they will have in their local communities,” Dearborn said. “AeroVironment has some of the best and brightest engineers in the world working for us. STEM students can look forward to future AeroVironment
"We are thrilled to partner with AeroVironment," Superintendent Dr. Kelli Hays said. "Their generous support will enhance our students' learning experience and further ignite their passion for STEM."
Flory Principal Juana Villa Granados said she is excited for the partnership because it gives students the chance to meet engineers and better understand how what they are learning in the classroom applies to future career opportunities.
"Our community should know that giving back is an important part of our company's values," Dearborn said. "We want to provide the students of Flory with additional resources to continue to cultivate their interest in a STEM education."
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