A Warm Welcome

Welcome to the Museum of Aviation’s National STEM Academy!  Thank you for participating in our programs.  We are excited to offer a great variety of exceptional educational opportunities for your family or school.   We strive to continually update our offerings with innovative supplies and exciting themes.  We aim to cultivate our students’ imaginations and creativity through fun, hands-on learning experiences.   Our immersive classroom environments and trained educators strive to have a lasting impact on our participants’ futures and ultimately our nation’s future workforce.  There are programs for all ages of students, ages 4 and up.  We have programs and resources for families, schools, colleges, and other organizations.  Thank you for making the National STEM Academy a part of your family or school’s educational journey.   Our teams from the National STEM Academy’s Exploration Center, Innovation Center, and Resource Center are all sincerely grateful for the participation, partnerships, and amazing support.

We look forward to welcoming you and your family or school to the Museum of Aviation.

Sincerely,

Melissa G. Spalding

Museum of Aviation Foundation Vice President

Director of Education and Visitor Experience

Registration, Cancellation & Refund Information

Please read all important information below:

  • Refund Policy: Refunds are made if cancelled up to 2 weeks prior to start date of program. Please mark your calendars for dates/times registered for.
  • Account Credit Policy: Account credits are made at the discretion of the National STEM Academy for cancellations made within the 2 week refund window on a case by case basis.  Account credits are not guaranteed.
  • No-Show Policy: No-Shows and those cancelled in less than 48 hours of the program’s start time are not eligible for refunds or account credits.

Please register early to secure your spot.  If a class is full, please add your student to the waitlist.  We do our best to fill our classes with everyone on our waitlists.

Drop Off & Pick Up Procedures

For safety measures, there will be no drop off or pick up in the classroom.

STEM Lab and Summer Camp drop off will be between 9:10 and 9:20 am.  This allows us to have all child(ren) in their classes and ready to begin right at 9:30.

STEM Lab and Summer Camp dismissal will begin promptly at 12:00 pm. Dismissal Cards are required for all of our participants.

Dismissal Cards will be used for Pick Up. Links to print cards is below and will also be available the day of the STEM Lab and Summer Camps. Anyone picking up a student will be required to show either the Dismissal Card or their ID. Please ensure all authorized pick-up persons are updated as emergency contacts during registration.

Student Dismissal Card

Waivers Are available for download here and on the first day of each camp for campers in Grades 6-12 ONLY.  These signed waivers allow participants in Grades 6-12 ONLY to sign themselves in at the beginning of class and out at the end of class.

Printable Sign/In Out Waiver

Please note which building your child(ren) ‘s camp will be in held in for corresponding drop off & pick up locations & instructions:

Century of Flight Hangar STEM Labs & Summer Camps:

Please enter the Museum Campus and take an immediate right.  You will park in the lot next adjacent to the Century of Flight Hangar and park. Please walk with child(ren) into the lobby for check in.

Century of Flight Parking Instructions

Innovation Center STEM Labs & Summer Camps:

Pick up and drop off will be in the loop directly in front of the building.  Upon entry to the campus, you will take an immediate right and then an immediate left into the first parking lot.

Innovation Parking Instructions

Camp is for Campers:

Only Museum staff and registered volunteers may enter the classroom areas. Guardians must remain in check-in/drop off area.

Behavior Policies

STEM Lab participants are expected to follow directions and be respectful and responsible for their behavior during their STEM Lab. Guardians will be alerted by a verbal report if their student(s)’ behavior has become disruptive. If disruptive behaviors continue, after all of the below steps have been taken, the student will not be allowed to continued participation in the STEM Lab.

If your student requires assistance during a STEM Lab, an aide may attend the STEM Lab with the student. Families are responsible for hiring and paying their aide. Aides must have completed ninth grade, be at least four years older than the child he/she is assisting, and may not be a family member.  Assistants 19 and older will be subject to a background check.

We utilize a 5-step behavior policy for our STEM Labs. The following steps will be used to address any camper behavioral issues:

  1. Verbal Reminder: Students will be asked to stop disruptive behavior.
  2. Environmental Change: Students will be removed from the area and may be asked to sit out one activity.
  3. Behavior Report: A verbal account of the disruptive behavior will be given to the guardian at pick-up.
  4. Send Home: A guardian will be called and asked to pick up their student immediately.
  5. Removal from Camp: If the behavior is egregious enough, the National STEM Academy reserves the right to dismiss the student from our STEM Lab program for the 2023-2024 season. No refund will be issued. Any other STEM Labs that the student is registered for will be forfeited with no refund.

Disruptive behaviors are classified at the discretion of the Education Team. Ultimately, the behavior will be deemed disruptive if it negatively affects the experience of other participants or puts themselves or others in danger.

Examples of Disruptive Behavior:

  • Repeatedly running through the Museum when asked to walk
  • Refusing to participate in activities
  • Throwing items
  • Entering off-limits areas
  • Bullying or aggravating fellow campers
  • Using hurtful language
  • Excluding other participants from activities
  • Inappropriate touching
  • Misuse of cell phone

The following will result in immediate dismissal from a STEM Lab without refund: Physical violence: hitting, kicking, punching, biting, or inappropriate touching, inappropriate language: cursing, name-calling, derogatory remarks, or hate speech.

Curriculum Standards Correlations

The National STEM Academy and Heritage Tours strive to correlate all programs with state and national education standards wherever possible.