Education

When we look at our community and the shared experiences that unite us, the past is paramount to guiding our future.   For over 75 years, aviation and the military have been major components of life in the local community.  Educational content at the Aviation History and Technology Center (AHTC) highlights the reciprocal relationships between aviation, the military, and local area.  AHTC provides resources for the community that go beyond capturing the mind for minutes.  The underlying goals of these resources are to provoke thought and inspire the imagination for a lifetime.  In doing so, AHTC showcases how aviation launched a small, Southern agricultural community into modernity and how the local area has impacts on the global scale. 

 S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs available through the museum introduce learners of all ages to the wide array of disciplines involved in aviation and offer a unique gateway to explore the world around us.  From scientific principles discovered hundreds of years ago to the advances in technology emerging daily, AHTC challenges all guests to deepen their understanding while exploring the wild blue yonder.  In addition, AHTC content is designed to complement contemporary educational standards in an awe-inspiring manner. 

The Aviation History & Technology Center explores both the unique history and S.T.E.M. aspects of aviation.  Combined with the featured aircraft and exhibits, AHTC is a community resource built upon the experiences of the men and women who have designed, built, tested, maintained, and flown aircraft of yesterday and tomorrow.   From a deeper understanding of the past and the disciplines of tomorrow, a stronger, more prepared, community emerges for the future. 

Educational Objectives:

• Further the mission of the museum to honor the legacy of aviation and the military in the local community. 
• Instill a desire for lifelong learning in diverse audiences through thought provocation, critical analysis exercises, and explorations that ignite the imagination.    
• Stimulate learning through an environment that prioritizes development of critical inquiry over finite testing achievements and captivates voluntary audiences with no prescribed requirements underlying the structure.    
• Provide content that supplements Georgia Standards of Excellence and expands students’ understanding of the lessons contained within.   
• Create unique experiences and avenues for learning that engage and attract area students to disciplines that they did not have previous interests in exploring.   
• Increase awareness and support for local military-affiliated community STEM Programs including, Air Force JROTC, Navy JROTC, Army JROTC, Marine JROTC, Civil Air Patrol.  
• Develop a greater community understanding and appreciation of the military as a whole, the individuals who serve our nation, and the veterans who have served in the past.