OAI strongly believes in giving back to the community and values the positive affects volunteering has on young students. Every engineer at OAI remembers a time as a child they were inspired by a volunteered demonstration involving the wonders of science and engineering. Because of this, OAI aims to participate in many STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Outreach events and make each event as meaningful and impactful as possible.

In October, OAI had the pleasure of participating in the Middle School Career Exploration Day, hosted by Denver’s Public Office of Children’s Affairs . The event was open to students of employees of the City of Denver, and focused on the career opportunities and paths to success for minority students. OAI hosted an aerospace industry panelist discussion for the students. The children were very enthusiastic, curious, and driven to learn as much as they could about the aerospace industry. Many questions were asked, ranging from “How does a plane fly?” to “How can I become an Aerospace Engineer?” Many paths to success were outlined for the students, and especially focused on how to pursue their upcoming high school courses to prepare them for the college curriculum they would need. The students were especially enthusiastic to learn how important the Aerospace Industry is to our country and humanity’s well-being, and the ways in which engineers make such an impact on everyday lives. They were surprised to learn how much Aerospace plays in their everyday lives, and were thrilled to learn that they all could become a productive member in the industry with hard work and determination. Overall, the students left the discussion with a promising enthusiasm and growing curiosity.

OAI is honored to have represented the Aerospace Industry in such a fun and inspiring STEM outreach event, and plans to participate in the event in future years to come, along with many other STEM outreach efforts. STEM Outreach is important to reinforce the enthusiasm and curiosity young American students have for engineering and the sciences, and OAI is diligent in its support. OAI is always looking for new ways to inspire today’s youth and will continue this endeavor. Engineering students from Chatfield High School working on a biological scientific experiment to be flown on the ISS through CASIS.