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RICHMOND, VA - Governor Glenn Youngkin announced today the opening of the Aerospace Academy of the Eastern Shore (AAES) lab school at a commemorative ribbon-cutting ceremony at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility. The AAES is dedicated to aerospace-specific coursework in engineering and data sciences, and proudly partners with Accomack and Northampton County Public Schools, Eastern Shore Community College, and Old Dominion University. The Academy is the 15th lab school established under Governor Glenn Youngkin.
"With the launch of the Aerospace Academy of the Eastern Shore, we're not just cutting a ribbon - we're opening a gateway to the future. This Academy represents the best of what happens when educators, innovators, industry leaders, and communities come together with a bold mission: to inspire the next generation of pioneers," said Governor Glenn Youngkin. "These students will be immersed in Virginia's aerospace sector and launch into careers that will shape the skies and beyond. Our mission since day one has been not only to prepare students for the future, but to empower them to lead it."
The AAES is designed to arm students on the Eastern Shore with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to be successful in aerospace fields, providing high school and dual-enrollment courses in partnership with NASA Wallops. The AAES leads curriculum development and manages the academic components of the program, ensuring high-quality instruction to equip students with the most in-demand skills of Eastern Shore employers.
"Congratulations to the AAES on welcoming its first bright cohort," said Secretary of Education Aimee Rogstad Guidera. "This program is critical to our goal of keeping the Commonwealth at the forefront of STEM and aerospace innovation. It's workforce readiness at its best: hands-on, and high-impact. AAES students' ingenuity and profound passion for aerospace education will continue to illuminate this field and this work."
The school provides two pathways for students to move into the aerospace workforce: Aerospace Technology, and Aerospace Engineering and Explorations. The school's programming allows students to engage in regional aerospace initiatives, participate in work-based learning experiences, develop an electronic portfolio, gain valuable job experience, and network with future employers. Students will have the opportunity to earn college credits to complete a Virginia Community College System Passport or Passport Plus, career studies certificates, and industry credentials and certifications.
"The launch of the Aerospace Academy on Virginia's Eastern Shore is a milestone for our students and our Commonwealth. By partnering with NASA and leading space companies, we are opening doors to hands-on learning, inspiring the next generation of space explorers, engineers, and innovators," said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Emily Anne Gullickson. "This academy will prepare our young people to lead in the Commonwealth's high-demand aerospace and technology industries that are shaping the future and will be a model to learn from."
Together, AAES, ODU, and their partners are committed to strengthening recruitment efforts and community engagement, broadening access to aerospace education and career pathways for students across the Eastern Shore, and empowering at-risk and underrepresented students in the area. Students are chosen through a lottery system of 50 students each year.
The AAES program of study guides students in high school from 9th through 12th grade. Industry partnerships allow students to participate in hands-on, experiential mission design activities that prepare them for the workforce.
For more information, and to explore opportunities at the Aerospace Academy of the Eastern Shore, those interested are invited to visit AAES at ODU.
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