In order to host an Educator Academy Curriculum Module, the major task a Section faces is organizing and funding a Capstone Event and Teacher Workshop. Scheduling the Capstone Event must precede scheduling the Teacher Workshop so that teachers understand that there is a culminating event that allows students to show what they have learned throughout the duration of the Curriculum Module.
The Educator Academy Capstone Event provides incentive and recognition to promote the use of the curriculum. Capstone Events also help to assess adoption and impact rates and are by far the most effective tool for providing incentive for teachers and school districts to adopt our curricula on a long-term basis.
6 Months Out /- Develop a budget for your Capstone Event
- Main costs will be venue, awards, printing, signage, volunteer t-shirts and volunteer lunches
- Provide sponsorship opportunities and/or contribution opportunities to help raise funds if necessary; Solicit door prize donations if needed
- Identify a Team Lead for the Capstone Event and the Teacher Workshop
- These two people should be the single point of contact for each event.
- Establish your volunteer teams.
- Begin recruiting volunteers by setting up a volunteer web site or using other Section tools to sign up volunteers.
- The Capstone Event will take a minimum of 10 people. The Teacher Workshop will require 1-2 people.
- Create a way for classes and schools to participate in the Capstone Event
- Set up a web site or use Section tools as a mechanism for teachers to RSVP to the event
- If setting up a web site, include links to the Educator Academy Curriculum Modules and other training materials located on the AIAA STEM K-12 website.
- Start Capstone publicity
- The buzz of the Capstone will help motivate sign-ups for the teacher workshop. Develop a plan for reaching schools within a 50 mile radius.
5 Months Out /
- Select your Teacher Workshop venue and date
- The exact date will be determined by when an AIAA Master Teacher and an appropriate venue are available.
- Contact Lisa Bacon (), our AIAA STEM K-12 Outreach Program Manager, to discuss/confirm your date and set up registration for your Teacher Workshop.
- Survey schools to find an optimum date for the Capstone Event
- Since schedules differ from community to community, carefully survey local schedules, holidays, standardized tests, etc. to pick an optimum weekend.
- Select the Curriculum Module that your section will host
- Review each Curriculum Module’s Event Details sheet to help select the best fit for your Section and locale.
- Select a venue for your Capstone Event
- The Capstone Event and Teacher Workshop have very different requirements. Refer to your Curriculum Module’s Event Details sheet for room requirements, etc.
4 Months Out /
- Purchase Awards
- Awards may be as simple as certificates and gift cards or as complex as ordering plaques and trophies.
- Pick the target size of the event and set a fee if necessary
- A small fee or refundable deposit is often necessary to ensure that people who enter actually show up.
- Start joint publicity
- Once the teacher training workshop details are final, begin publicizing both events (Capstone Event and Teacher Workshop). Experience has shown conclusively that this combination is much more effective than either is alone.
3 Months Out /
- Organize Judging and Scoring
- Train Lead Officials and Finalize Rules
2 Months Out /
- Develop a “Day-Of” Schedule
- Include a schedule for volunteers as well as teachers
- Determine what to do with students while scores are being tallied