The Dee Howard Foundation (DHF) Pre-K through 12 Initiative is one of the two primary missions of DHF, its goal is to incorporate aviation and aerospace into the STEM curriculum primarily focused on middle schools in underserved areas of our community. This program is principally funded by the proceeds of the other main DHF Initiative, the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame Annual Awards Dinner. 2016 was the second full year of operations of this education program.

In 2016, in collaboration with and the support of our community and industry partners, the DHF Pre-K thru 12 Initiative:

• Awarded a grant to Alamo Academies-Aerospace Academy.
• Awarded a grant to the Alamo City Chapter of Women in Aviation International (WAI) in support of its second annual Girls in Aviation Day Camp held at Stinson Municipal Airport on 24 Sept 2016.
• Awarded a grant and an exhibit to The DoSeum in support of its annual Come Fly With Us Program .
• Awarded a grant to and collaboration with SAISD to establish a pilot program at Rhodes Middle School to incorporate aviation and aerospace as part of their STEM offerings. The program is for the entire school year, incorporates field trips, site visits, guest speakers, and hands on experiences.The goal is to continue the program in future years at Rhodes and expand it to other SAISD Middle Schools.
• As a community service, DHF assists students in securing summer internships related to aviation/aerospace.
• As a community service, DHF regularly circulates information about Pre-K thru 12 aviation and aerospace programs organized by other non-profits by posting the information on the DHF Facebook page and including the information in DHF’s newsletter.
• Provided referrals of aviation and aerospace companies to Communities in Schools San Antonio to assist them in their partnership with Harlandale ISD, in hosting a STEM Family Night at each elementary and middle school in HISD
• DHF joined with the National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other collaborating organizations in hosting 500 4th and 5th grade students from seven school districts in the San Antonio area at the 2016 Gulf Coast Hurricane Awareness Tour (HAT).
• Middle School students and STEM teachers from Harlandale ISD and Edgewood ISD attended the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame Inaugural Dinner as guests of DHF.
• Dr. Bonnie Baskin ,Founder and Chair of the Board of the Hill Country Science Mill, joined the DHF Education Advisory Council.
• DHF is a member of the National Coalition for Aviation and Space Education (NCASE).

In collaboration with and support of our community and industry partners, our goals for 2017 are to sustain and grow all of our 2016 Initiatives, expand our collaboration with other community and industry partners, establish new Initiatives to reach more students, expand the student access to and participation in the Hall of Fame event, and continue to nurture our innovators of the future.