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Orange County students recognized for Smart Community STEM camp; AFA Virginia awards $1,000 scholarship
Summary
The board recognized Smart Community STEM camp participants from Orange County, highlighted program expansion and awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Top Gun winner Tommy Carmody from the Air and Space Forces Association of Virginia.
The Orange County School Board on Tuesday recognized Smart Community STEM program participants and sponsors, highlighted the program’s growth and accepted a $1,000 scholarship award from the Air and Space Forces Association (AFA) of Virginia for this year’s Top Gun winner.
Presenter George Hinckley updated the board on the STEM camp’s history and expansion, saying the program began in 2023 with the University of Mary Washington as host, expanded regionally to Stafford and Petersburg, and included nine students from Orange County in the most recent camp. Hinckley described a mentor model in which high-school participants return as paid interns to teach middle-school students and said the program is rebranded locally as “Aero Corps.”
Mike Maxwell, president of AFA Virginia, described his organization’s education mission and presented a $1,000 AFA scholarship to Tommy Carmody, the camp’s Top Gun winner. Maxwell said the AFA supports aerospace STEM education through grants, scholarships and competitions and that the organization expects to continue supporting the local camp as it grows.
The recognition portion of the meeting also thanked Lake of the Woods Church — specifically its senior pastor, Adam Colson — and the church’s RISE Special Needs Ministry and Living Water Medical and Dental Clinics for underwriting shirts, ribbons and refreshments for the district’s Special Games event for students with disabilities.
Board members and staff celebrated students who participated in STEM camp and noted recent public appearances by camp participants, including a demonstration at Joint Base Andrews’ STEAM Day. Administrators said the program plans further local outreach and that district staff have been supportive of students representing Orange County at regional events.
The presentation included a short video compiled by a school librarian showing drone-flight simulation and camp activities. Board members thanked program leaders and students for the presentation and accepted the scholarship donation on behalf of the district.
