According to a recent survey conducted by Harris Poll and LEGO, 29 percent of children aspire to become professional YouTubers when they grow up. In statistics, findings such as this are referred to as “bleak.”
Stars of the North – the Minneapolis area chapter of Women in Aviation International, which envisions a world where the sky is open to all – is showing children something far more uplifting to aspire to be. Slip the surly bonds of Earth by becoming an aviation or aerospace professional, says Stars of the North. Join us at Girls in Aviation Day, which we are hosting at Flying Cloud Airport this September!
“Women in Aviation International has more than 170 chapters worldwide,” said Laurel Winter, president of Stars of the North. “Ours is the largest. So too is our Girls in Aviation Day, which welcomes up to 3,000 children and their adults to Eden Prairie’s airport each year.”
The United States Airforce Academy. The Metropolitan Airports Commission. Delta, SouthWest, Sun Country, Endeavor, and Collins Aerospace. AV8 Flight School, the University of North Dakota, and Minnesota State University, Mankato. These and more than 50 other exhibitors will attend the big day.
“They all set up inside an enormous hangar, where they present information, displays and giveaways at kid-friendly booths, some with activities and swag,” said Laurel. “Our own volunteers have designated space featuring over one dozen different STEM experiences and activities. A few are accessible to children of all ages, such as one where participants learn airplane marshalling signals using light-up foam batons. It makes for an awesome dance party on the tarmac while ‘Danger Zone’ plays!
“Most activities are a little more advanced, being geared toward children ages 8 to 18. I particularly enjoy the exhibit where maintenance personnel showcase the tools of their trade while teaching children how to snip, ply and rivet their own airplane-shaped cookie cutters. Kids especially enjoy the Metropolitan Airports Commission’s table, where they design their own airports using colorful construction materials. Some don’t quite grasp the finer points of runway placement, but their creative use of sparkles more than makes up for that shortcoming.”
Girls in Aviation Day features virtual reality simulations. Don goggles. Dart through obstacles. Rack up points. Win candy! Another exhibit introduces children to the physical stress fighter pilots and astronauts must endure. “It’s nothing involving multiple G-forces,” assured Laurel. “Think along the lines of getting spun around in a motorized desk chair and challenged to throw a paper airplane with any degree of accuracy.”
The true stars of the show are parked just outside the exhibition hangar. “We will have over 30 aircraft on display this year,” said Laurel. “Past years’ Girls in Aviation Days have featured decommissioned military aircraft, giant commuter planes, small private planes and jets, pontoon planes, firefighting planes, Life Link III’s emergency medical transport helicopter, and the very same helicopter the Department of Natural Resources uses to count moose (among other things). Children are welcome to enter most of the aircraft, sit inside their flight decks, and speak one-on-one with their knowledgeable and passionate crew members.
“I love working in aviation,” Laurel continued. “I’d never imagined my life could be so exhilarating before becoming a pilot. For want of a better word, flying makes me feel grounded. My only regret is not realizing my dream job sooner.
“That, at its heart, is why Stars of the North hosts Girls in Aviation Day. We’re showing kids that nothing is preventing them from enjoying such rewarding careers, and guiding them toward resources that can help them take off. A number of young adults who attended past events are due to arrive in their very own planes this year, including an Eden Prairie High School alumna who previously participated in our Rising Stars program.
“If your child is like she was – champing at the bit to take to the sky – then we encourage you to bring them to Flying Cloud Airport this September. Even if they have shown no interest in flying, that’s bound to change once they behold the spectacle of aviation up close!”
This year’s Girls in Aviation Day will be held at Flying Cloud Airport from 10am until 2pm on September 19th. Food trucks, which aren’t technically aircraft, will also be present. Visit StarsOfTheNorth.org to learn more!
"Slip the surly bonds of Earth by becoming an aviation or aerospace professional, says Stars of the North."
"For want of a better word, flying makes me feel grounded. My only regret is not realizing my dream job sooner."