How teaching kids to fly can change the trajectory of their lives

What do Michelle Obama, Denzel Washington, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Ralph Lauren and George Bush have in common? They have all credited, at least in part, honing their passions and skills through camps and extracurricular activities they participated in as kids.

Camps and extracurricular activities allow for kids to explore interests outside of a school setting. It might be intimidating to audition for a play at school, especially if it is your first time. A theater camp, however, offers a no-stress introduction. Similarly, some students may be intrigued by science, but the pacing of the classroom or the anxiety of tests may make that interest wane. STEM camps allow students to focus on their interest, without the stress of being graded. And, of course, there are a plethora of passions, from water sports to pottery, that a school may not be able to introduce.

When it’s time to encourage students in their pursuits, ‘Little’ Washington has got parents covered. The Turnage Theatre and Arts of the Pamlico is a fantastic place to check out for your budding actor or artist. For the budding acrobat or cheerleader, Tumble B Gym offers full and half day camps in addition to year-round classes. The Washington Parks & Recreation department offers sports leagues and swimming while local Roanoke Christian Camp offers day and overnight camping experiences that will create a lifetime of memories.

But, perhaps, the most ambitious camp and possibly one of the best kept secrets of Washington is the Inner Banks Stem Center (IBX STEM). Located in its own building at the Washington Warren Airport, IBX STEM was founded with the goal of providing enriching Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs for students regardless of their socioeconomic status or ability to pay.

While there are many avenues to pursue under the STEM umbrella, the organization has three main focal points for their camps, aviation, boating and renewable energy. Al Powell, president, said the hope was to provide the most unique and engaging experiences possible while strategically utilizing local partnerships and resources.

Students in grades 6-8 can participate in an aviation camp where, in two weeks, a student can go from having no experience with planes to having 20 minutes of ‘stick time.’ In other words, middle school students get to fly the plane (with a certified flight instructor, of course).

Likewise in boating camps, IBX STEM teams with the Coast Guard Auxiliary and Little Washington Sailing School to help students learn the physics, safety, and operation of boating. By the end of the camp with sailboats, students know how to sail and pilot a boat. Flying and sailing are both pretty impressive things to check off before reaching teenage years.

In the renewable energy camp, the newest offering, students in seventh through ninth grades will learn about sources of renewable energy including water, wind and sun. The students learn hands-on with the help of an on-site planetarium and geology-based software. Representatives and educators from NC A&T, ECU and NASA all contributed to the lessons incorporated into the camp.

While the experiences are undoubtedly fun and interesting, the goal is bigger than providing a diversion. IBX STEM hopes that with every single offering, they inspire children, who may come from underprivileged backgrounds, to strive for careers in STEM and to push themselves to succeed.

In fact, showing kids that there is a world of possibility is a personal mission for Powell, who grew up in what he called, ‘bad neighborhoods,’ in Washington D.C. “There were gangs, murders, shootings… most of my friends didn’t get out,” Powell said. The difference for him was that he was introduced to track, a sport in which he excelled so much that he got a scholarship to college. Once there, he realized the opportunity that he had and set his sights high.

Graduating in accounting and finance, Powell got a job with the US Treasury Department and eventually landed in the FBI. Where, in his 30 years of service, he flew planes and served as chief of counterterrorism in Washington D.C.

“I was fortunate in so many opportunities I was given so I wanted to give back to my community,” Powell said.

While his journey and background provide powerful fuel to IBX STEM, he credits the success they have had to the many partners who have provided training, encouragement and funding.

Over the years, Powell says that funding from places like the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, and the Cannon Foundation as well as partnerships with Grady-White Boats and Piedmont Airlines make the camps possible. “We are running an expensive, top-notch STEM program in a very poor area… I feel if people came and saw what we are doing, they would be shocked, they wouldn’t believe it,” he said.

In addition to the camps, IBX STEM brings career day presentations to local schools. Also, IBX STEM provides a mobile drone camp to students in surrounding counties who do not have transportation to attend the day camps. The drone camp has a copyrighted curriculum written by Powell and combines the science of aerospace engineering with the simple fun of drone flying.

While the graduates of IBX STEM camps may not be movie stars or world leaders (yet) the success of the camps can already be seen. Graduates of the camp have changed the trajectory of their lives to stay in school, go to college to major in a STEM subject or have chosen to join the military.

It’s the kind of success that comes naturally when a child’s curiosities, strengths and passions are encouraged. No matter what passions a child has, Washington has a camp, class or activity that will enrich and inspire them.