National Flight Academy
MAKE LEARNING an
ADVENTURE
Who says learning can’t be fun? Certainly not the leadership team at Ambition who delivers
“inspired play” in six-day immersive programs at the National Flight Academy located in Pensacola,
Florida. It all starts with the story – a heart-pumping, adrenaline-filled mission with squadrons competing
to successfully finish a task. Whether it is a race or rescue, science, technology, engineering, and
math (STEM) skills are used in tandem with the equally important 21st century learning skills including
critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork and communication to advance the team.
Since opening in 2012, more than 2,600 students from 44 U.S. states and seven countries have
come aboard Ambition to participate in its next-generation innovative play. From the theme
park-like sight and sound to premier technology available for students – the experience is
meant to make it feel like they are actually serving aboard a real U.S. Navy aircraft carrier.
Ambition Experimental Pilots (AXPs), as the students are called, become fundamentally aware
of the integration of mathematics and science into their daily lives by measuring, collecting,
analyzing and interpreting data. Critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity
and other learning skills are valuable assets the students gain from the experience.
The NFA was kind enough to allow RocketSTEM to have one of our staff members (shown on
the left side of the above photo) go through the six-day deployment last summer. He was an
incoming high-school freshman at the time, and the experience was the highlight of his summer.
All photos courtesy of the National Flight Academy
02
02
www.RocketSTEM .org