Ohio Nonprofit Receives $5,000 for Local Drone and Air Mobility Youth Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Mary Welsh
(513) 378-8370
Ohio Nonprofit Receives $5,000 for Local Drone and Air Mobility Youth Program
CINCINNATI– (August 29, 2024)–Partnership for Innovation in Education (PIE) was recently awarded a $5,000 Bill and Dottie Wilder Foundation grant. These funds are awarded to implement the “Advanced Air Mobility and DronePreneurship Certification Project” at Aiken New Tech High School located in North College Hill, Ohio. The Bill and Dottie Wilder Foundation was established in 2021 to provide financial support to schools and non-profit organizations, offering small grants annually to schools or non-profit organization in the Greater Cincinnati area. The intent of the grants is to enhance educational instruction, provide unique educational enrichment activities and/or further the development of educational professionals.
The Partnership for Innovation in Education (PIE) is the Fiscal Agent and Program Director for Aiken New Tech High School and its U.S. Dept. of Education-21st Century Community Learning Center Program. Over a 5-year period (2023-28), PIE is deploying in-school and afterschool transportation and engineering programming preparing students for careers offering industry recognized credentials (IRC) to middle and high school students in socioeconomically challenged neighborhoods. This Wilder Foundation funding helps fund advanced aviation “smART” mobility, design and engineering afterschool programming and drone supplies for underserved students.
Monies will fund drone technology and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) drone pilot certification for Aiken New Tech HS students with on-site “hands on” activities moderated by DriveOhio industry partners including Lunken Airport. The Cincinnati Municipal Airport will serve as a SW Ohio vertiport location where commercial, freight-carrying drones will land and takeoff in partnership with local industries.
Launched in 2009 and headquartered in Cincinnati, PIE strives to offer K-12 students the invaluable opportunity to use both synchronous and asynchronous curriculum introducing students and educators to “smART Mobility” programming, STEAM Content Standards and pre-qualifying Industry Recognized Credentials for ground drone pilots, auto mechanics, electric battery operators, aviation technicians, electrician assistants, and advanced manufacturing operators with salaries starting at $50,000/yr.
“We’re on a mission to improve career access and promote educational enrichment of Cincinnati youth and we’re excited to have found a deeply aligned partner in the Partnership for Innovation in Education,” said Sarah Soule, President of the Bill and Dottie Wilder Foundation. “Our program connects passionate, community-centered organizations like Partnership for Innovation in Education with leading STEM-education and youth-development curriculum. We look forward to working together to ensure more young people have access to spaces where they can attain future career and education success and meet life-changing mentors to guide them along the way.”
Mary Welsh Schlueter, PIE CEO stated: “We are honored to have received this generous, community-based grant from the Bill and Dottie Wilder Foundation. Their commitment to our SW Ohio youth is pivotal to accelerating community vitality and offers students’ better understanding of the Ohio’s emerging career opportunities. At PIE, we are committed to providing students real-life experiences in Ohio’s leading advanced manufacturing, aviation, engineering, transportation and technology careers. Our programs enable students to experience a variety of ‘learning and doing’ programs, both in-classroom and afterschool. This program fits nicely into our role as developer of the K-12 DriveOhio Tool Kit and as Ohio’s Industry Sector Partner in developing the Auto/EV and Advanced Manufacturing K-16 Tool Kit. All these innovative “hands on” workforce and career readiness programs allow students to become prequalified for SW Ohio’s high paying and in-demand occupations.”
About The Bill and Dottie Wilder Foundation
The Bill and Dottie Wilder Foundation was established in 2021 to provide financial support to schools and non-profit organizations. The Foundation offers small grants annually to schools or non-profit organization in the Greater Cincinnati area to enhance educational instruction, provide unique educational enrichment activities and/or further the development of educational professionals.
Funds are awarded to schools and/or organizations serving students at the preschool, elementary or secondary level. For more information about the Foundation, please visit bdwilderfoundation@gmail.com.
About Partnership for Innovation in Education (PIE)
Established in 2009 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Partnership for Innovation in Education (PIE) develops transformational educational and industry skill certification tools preparing the 21st century workforce for success in the global marketplace. As a career readiness, talent pipeline and workforce development partner with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, DriveOhio and Cincinnati Public Schools, PIE features first-ever career simulation, industry skills credentialing, and mentoring alliances with business, education and arts organizations, providing hands-on learning leading to job prequalification inside the K-16 classroom. PIE is a 501c3 nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, awarded the GuideStar Nonprofit “Platinum” Ranking and is an Ohio School District Partner. For more information, visit https://piemedia.org or follow @PIE_Innovation on X (Formerly Twitter).