Congratulations to Jonathan Lara-Hernandez & Mrs. Jennifer Brickhouse for coming in 1st place in the high school division of North Carolina Educators UAS Cohort (NCEUASC) drone flying virtual competition! NCEUASC is a partnership between the North Carolina Business Committee for Education, a business-led, education non-profit; the North Carolina DOT; Nine Ten Drones; STEMERALD City; and media partner, DRONELIFE, that is committed to supporting the educators of North Carolina integrate drones as educational tools into the elementary, middle and high school classrooms across the state. They provide webinars, explainer videos and live demos to all their members.
Mrs. Brickhouse has been a member of the cohort, which has also provided all members with a Tello EDU fly more kit, and a one year membership to drone curriculum provider DroneBlocks. Additionally, the cohort provides educators with the support and training that they need to utilize those tools effectively – and make the most of adding drones to their STEAM curriculum. UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Industry Expert Paul Rossi and Jeff Epps, Master STEAM Coach, have connected with more than 60 educators across NC every month via live virtual meetings, recorded explainer videos and one-on-one sessions to support the adoption of drones as a tool in education. “The NCEUASC is committed to supporting the educators of North Carolina integrate drones as educational tool into the elementary, middle and high school classrooms across the state,” says Rossi.
Earlier this month, the NCEUASC hosted the virtual competition for North Carolina students. Cohort members were able to coach teams of up to 4 students to prepare them to compete in the fun and educational contest – one that prepares the next generation workforce of North Carolina to help the drone industry grow. Getting drones into the hands of educators is important. Providing them with the support and training they need is equally important for the success of drone programs in schools. The North Carolina Educators UAS Cohort is a model that works, supporting teachers and students.
Jonathan, who flew solo, worked as a drone pilot to program drones to complete challenges. He did an outstanding job representing CHS in the competition & scored 33 points, winning for the high school division! You can view the NCEUASC 2021 Virtual Drone Competition Results Ceremony at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r0iDop16Ho. Thank you to his coach, Mrs. Brickhouse, as well, for her time and support. She also did a fantastic job representing CHS! And lastly, a huge shout out to Bridgetek Solutions for sponsoring the competition!