Reaching Out... Bringing the CAP AE and Cadet Message to America's Schools and Communities

1. Learning Lab AE02: Reaching Out...Bringing the CAP AE and Cadet Message to America's Schools and Communities Presenters: Dr. Jeff Montgomery, HQ CAP/AE Chief; Susan Mallett, HQ CAP/SEP Manager; and Angie St. John, HQ CAP/SEP Asst Manager “Citizens Serving Communities”

2. Spreading the Message • Why recruit teachers in America’s classrooms to become Aerospace Education Members (AEMs)? • The Fly-A-Teacher program is an exciting benefit of membership and a mutually-beneficial activity for teachers and CAP volunteers.... allowing CAP pilots to hlep inspire future citizens by bringing the skies into the classroom. • CAP’s free educational products and programs include fun, hands-on aerospace activities to enhance the core curriculum, and thus, possibly inspire young people to pursue aerospace careers to fulfill the workforce needs of tomorrow.

3. Where do you start? • Locate teachers in your community who might be open to hearing about how to Make Aerospace Real for Students in their classrooms. • Teachers of CAP members’ children or grandchildren • Teachers in church or civic organizations • Teacher friends or relatives • Teachers in schools in the neighborhood

4. Recruitment “Hooks” • Quickly present a few benefits of AE Membership: • Fly-a-Teacher Orientation Flights • Free national standards-based educational materials • AEX Awards program for teachers and students • Opportunities for students who become cadets

5. Presentation is the key… • Teachers want to see what is “in it for them” with a quick, clear overview to include immediate tangible resources for easy use. • Teachers may be leery of military-style clothing and perceived associated obligations, so dress should be a nice shirt with a CAP logo on it for initial presentation. • Counter possible reasons why NOT to include CAP in the classroom with exciting reasons TO include the programs. • Stress the “ease” of integrating AE products and programs into the curriculum, and, the ulitimate benefits to students. • Share quick success stories of successful CAP cadets, who are the direct result of being motivated toward aerospace by their teachers. (Sample stories will be shared in Learning Lab.)

6. How do you do it? • Prepare your materials and outline for presentation. (Sample presentation guides will be shared in the Learning Lab.) • Practice your presentation for clarity and adequate pace of presentation. • Make an appointment with the principal for presentation to the school faculty. • Don’t come too early (schools are busy places), but early enough to set up and prepare. • Stay on track with your outlined presentation, and the time allotted for your presentation. • Demonstrate a sample CAP AE lesson for example and fun. (Hands-on sample lessons to be presented in Learning Lab.) • Provide contact information for follow up questions. • Depart with a significant message or promotional item that will remind the teachers of your esteemed organization, CAP.

7. Follow-up • If you promised to follow up with a member of the staff, do so, and promptly, with an e-mail or mailed note. • If audience response was poor, do not take it personally; teachers have a great deal of responsibility and accountability on their minds. Follow-up with a nice e-mail or note to the principal or teachers. • If teachers joined CAP, turn in applications and payment promptly for processing so the teachers will receive their free educational materials promptly. • If a Fly-a-Teacher flight is promised, work with the Wing Fly-a-Teacher PoC to get that organized as soon as possible. • Get ready for the next presentation; making revisions and improvements to the presentation each time.

8. What Next? • Schedule presentations at community service organizations or churches to present the CAP benefits for the community. • Present the opportunity for the organization to “sponsor” teacher memberships. • Present the opportunity for CAP members to volunteer in classrooms or cadet units to assist with AE and Cadet programs. • Keep CAP AE and CP promotional brochures handy for those “on the spot” contacts!