RESOURCES AND NEWS
NCTX Aerial Robotics STEM Initiative was awarded a Texas Regional Pathways Network Grant (Cohort 4) in the amount of $550,000 for 2022-23 to continue to work with partner school districts, colleges, workforce, and business/industry to prepare students for exciting careers in pathways that utilize the latest aerial robotics technology. We will expand partnerships and work-based learning for students as well as provide support for students earning industry certifications.
NCTX Aerial Robotics Initiative received a non-competitive continuation grant in the amount of $200,000 for the 2023-24 school year to continue and expand our partnerships, work-based learning opportunities, students earning FAA Part 107 licenses, and developing curriculum that can be shared regionally and statewide.
Crowley ISD Student Successes
Crowley ISD’s team of students are two-time state champions in SkillsUSA for sUAS Drone competition. The students are Gibson and Kooper Gossett. The students have earned the FAA Part 107 Drone Pilot’s license. Additionally, both students have their PPL (Private Pilot’s License, and have been accepted to the Air Force Academy.
Congratulations to these outstanding students!!!
NCTX Aerial Robotics Internships
BNSF provided paid summer internships for NCTX Aerial Robotics' students who earned the FAA Part 107 "Drone Pilot License" as part of their program of study in Aerial Robotics. The interns included:
Charles Westrup - Azle ISD
Aidan Davis - Birdville ISD
Naman Satwah - Keller ISD
Drew Wheaton - Keller ISD
BNSF hosted a luncheon on Tuesday, 8/8/23, and interns presented their summer work projects with CTE Directors, CTE Teachers, and BNSF team members as well as other industry representatives who joined the meeting virtually.
All summer interns are pictured above with BNSF Representatives.
Additionally pictured is Aidan Davis from Birdville ISD with his Aerial Robotics' teacher, Mr. Jeff Womack.
AZLE ISD
STUDENT SUCCESSES
First image below - Azle ISD students passed their FAA Part 107 exam and are now licensed drone pilots! - Spring 2023
Second image below - Azle HS Seniors Brendon Devillier and Kyler Akers are currently putting their FAA Part 107 Drone Pilot Licenses to good use working for Steele & Freeman as part of the practicum program at Azle High School.
Third image below - Azle High School students are working on 3D mapping the high school campus using drone photogrammetry utilizing the DJI Phantom RTK package.
Tyler Harrison is the Engineering, Drones/UAV Teacher at Azle High School
Bell Advanced Vertical Robotics
Competition
Video
Watch a short video of the competition with teams from North Central Texas (NCTX) Aerial Robotics featured in the video, including Cleburne ISD,
I.M. Terrell - Fort Worth ISD, and Birdville ISD. Azle ISD won 2nd in the qualifying competition event at UTA.
Azle ISD Aerial Robotics Team
Azle ISD placed 2nd at UTA Arlington in Bell Advanced Vertical Robotics Competition qualifying for the championship
NCTX Aerial Robotics Teams Invited to participate in Bell Celebration of Engineers Week
See flyer below
NEWS FROM EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER
January, 2022 - News from Lisa Harrison, Education Service Center Region 11
I am excited to share that we received Texas Education Agency approval for Geospatial Engineering and Land Surveying Program of Study!
This regional program of study is available to any Local Education Agency (LEA) in your Education Service Center region and will be coded using the same criteria as a statewide program of study. For a student to count as a concentrator or a completer, the regional program of study must follow the program of study sequence that was approved. This regional program of study will be in place for four years starting with the 2022-2023 school year and going through the 2025-2026 school year, at which time districts will reapply. This approval is a true example of collaboration between business/industry and education.
Below are links to two of the Regional Programs of Study:
PRESENTATIONS AND PARTNERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS
NCTX Aerial Robotics Initiative is proud to share information to assist school districts in developing partnerships with post-secondary education and business/industry/workforce to provide a seamless transition for students into post-secondary education and the workforce. Check out our involvement in a podcast, presentation(s) posted, and highlights from NCTX Partners.
GEOHOLICS ANONYMOUS PODCAST
"Welcome to this meeting of Geoholics Anonymous! This is another “roundtable” format discussion touching on the current issues affecting the geomatics world. This panel is made up of Kent Groh, LS (Host of The Geoholics), Ryan Kelly, CP (Co-host of The Geoholics), Linda Anderson (Project Manager for the North Central Texas Aerial Robotics STEM Initiative), Daphne Rickard (Executive Director of Career and Technical Education for Fort Worth ISD), Candy Slocum (Executive Director of North Central Texas InterLink, Inc.) and Stephanie Tennyson (Career and Technical Education Coordinator for the Fort Worth Independent School District). The topic of this GA meeting focuses on the S.T.E.M. initiative. We touch on the history of STEM in the US, why there is a shortage of skilled workers in many of the STEM occupations (including land surveying), the K-12 STEM continuum model and how industry leaders can get involved by paying it forward for the betterment of their respective professions." (Click link below)
2020-07-31
EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER REGION 11
PRESENTATION
Our team presented "How to Build a Thriving Texas Regional Pathways Network" at the ESC Region 11 "2020 Pathways to Texas CCMR
Conference" on November 4, 2020.
Access the presentation slides below.
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GRAPEVINE-COLLEYVILLE ISD VIRTUAL TOUR
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD utilized a drone in order to provide a tour of the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Technology Education and Career Center. The tour was conducted by students in the CTE program, including a Robotics student utilizing a Tello drone and Advanced Audio Video students.
(Click link below to join virtual tour)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N0vYzivBe2-7gPoMJAIm9tEselhpAjOH/view?usp=sharing
NCTX PARTNERSHIP WITH HALFF ASSOCIATES
Halff Associates is a valuable business partner of NCTX Aerial Robotics Initiative. Below is an article that outlines the partnership and the mutual benefits that are possible through collaboration between business/industry and education.
Click below to read the exciting partnership article:
Also included are the slides that Bill Swope and Vas Kalogirou presented during the November 18, 2020, NCTX Aerial Robotics Advisory Committee meeting.
FORT WORTH ISD CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Career & Technical Education envisions all students in FWISD will be prepared for life and be college and career-ready. The mission of Career & Technical Education is to prepare all students for success through quality services, rigorous curriculum, and state-of-the-art facilities.
During the NCTX Aerial Robotics Advisory Committee Meeting, January 12, 2022, Fort Worth ISD CTE Department staff, Tim Rogers and Tijean Harris, presented virtually while conducting a mobile STEM trailer tour for elementary school students. Students heard presentations about drone technology, got to experience flying drones, and observed videography from a drone demonstration. Business, industry, and post-secondary partners saw the excitement of elementary school students learning about STEM careers.
BIRDVILLE ISD PARTICIPATES IN
BELL VERTICAL ROBOTICS
COMPETITION
Scroll below to learn about the Bell Vertical Robotics Competition and to see pictures of the Birdville ISD team participating and competing.
REGIONAL PROGRAMS OF STUDY
Lisa Harrison, from the Region 11 Education Service Center, presented at the NCTX Aerial Robotics Advisory Committee Meeting on January 20, 2021, sharing NCTX current and future Programs of Study that support the Aerial Robotics Initiative.
Scroll below to view the presentation followed by three Regional Programs of Study (Drone Unmanned Flight, Aviation, and Geospatial Engineering and Land Surveying).
NEWS BRIEF
NCTX Aerial Robotics Initiative was highlighted in two TRPN News Briefs that are shown below.
KELLER ISD PRESENTATION
Keller ISD students presented to the NCTX Aerial Robotics Advisory Committee on 4/21/2021.
Video Link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i2vF5u6XxD-Olhh9oywtz0nPK1e1nj1k/view?usp=sharing
CLEBURNE ISD
Excellence Happens Here
See link below to newspaper article from the Cleburne Times-Review celebrating student who passed the FAA Part 107 exam to become a certified drone pilot.
Elizabeth Youngberg is the first Cleburne High School student to achieve the Federal Aviation Administration 107 Drone Pilot Certification, which is included in the pathway of study for both the engineering and law enforcement programs. Lisa Magers | Cleburne ISD
NTX MAGAZINE ARTICLE FEATURING
NCTX AERIAL ROBOTICS
The North Texas Commission, NTX Magazine - A Profile of the Dallas/Fort Worth Region, Volume 12, featured our NCTX Aerial Robotics Initiative, including grant school districts and business partners. The magazine cover shown above links to the magazine, and the article, entitled, "Pilot Program," is featured on pages 56-61 (presented as pages 30-32 on the link above). Additionally, below is a link to the North Texas Commission website.
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY CORPUS CHRISTI
One of our industry partners, Desiree Hurst at Yazel Peebles and Associates, shared links to videos of the Geospatial Surveying program at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. She shared the following, "I have my master's degree from the program. It has helped me in my career and given me the ability to get licensed in several states (TX, NM, OK, IL and Federally)." You may access the links below.