Since 2006

ABOUT
AIR CAMP

 

APPLICATIONS AND REGISTRATIONS ARE LIVE FOR 2024 SUMMER PROGRAMS!
Applications will close on April 15th.
BE SURE TO OPT-IN FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BE INCLUDED ON ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR OUR ALL NEW SPRING AND FALL PROGRAMS!

 

Air Camp is grateful to generous donors who have provided funding to support a limited number of scholarships for our middle school and high school programs. Students should indicate their interest in being considered for a scholarship on their Air Camp application form, and those selected to participate in Air Camp will be notified of their scholarship status in May.



Giving kids the confidence to achieve

HELPING STUDENTS FLY HIGHER

Air Camp is a hands-on, educational adventure in aviation and aeronautics. We inspire students at the intermediate and middle school levels, as well as teachers and educational leaders across all grades, to learn more about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) using aviation and aerospace as our medium while promoting the values of scholarship, leadership, and citizenship.

Air Camp is the vision of Dayton-area leaders who want to help young people nationwide achieve their potential, develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, and pursue further education and future careers in STEM-related fields, aviation, and aeronautics.

STEM LEARNING FUN SINCE 2006

December
2006

A meeting of community leaders organized by Dr. Dave Ponitz, Retired President of Sinclair College, at the request of Dr. Vince Russo to discuss STEM learning for K-12.

2008

A meeting chaired by Dr. Tom Lasley and attended by Gen. Dick Reynolds, Dr. Vince Russo, Mr. Dan Sadlier, Ms. Amanda Lane Wright, and other community partners where a decision was made to “do something” using current Dayton Community assets and not pursue a dedicated physical facility.

July
2010

Launch of first Air Camp with Executive Director Ms. JoAnn Erno, with Executive Committee Dr. Lasley as President, Dr. Russo as Vice President, Gen. Reynolds as Secretary, and Mr. Sadlier as Treasurer.

September
2015

Launch of the first official Teachers Air Camp experience on September 25, 2015.

Summer
2021

Launch of the first official High School event.

WHY DAYTON, OH?

Dayton, Ohio is the birthplace of aviation and a center of invention. Here, the Wright Brothers invented and perfected manned, powered, controlled, heavier-than-air flight and experimented with early airplanes at Huffman Prairie.

Today, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a hub of innovation for aviation and aeronautics as the home of the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, the Air Force Institute of Technology, the Air Force Material Command Headquarters, and the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

Learn more
From highly trained educators to dedicated volunteers, please meet our

FACULTY & STAFF

Shannon Coblentz

Director of Operations

Kimberly Hume

Operations Manager

Amanda Coomer

Manager of Finance and Donor Relations

Christina Davis

Manager of Educational Programming

Rosie Melia

Director of Development

Our Board of Trustees

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VIEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE