Peterson youth get increased opportunity at space academy

Published Nov. 19, 2009
By Monica Mendoza
21st Space Wing Public Affairs staff writer

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The 21st Space Wing's top leaders visited the new Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy Middle School in Colorado Springs Nov. 10 to see its space and engineering programs.

Col. Stephen Whiting, 21st Space Wing commander, Lt. Col. Tracy Witcher, 21st Mission Support Group deputy commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Tim Omdal, 21st SW command chief, toured the new public school, which opened this school year with about 500 students in grades 5 to 8.

The 21st SW is developing stronger partnerships with local public schools and wants to improve educational opportunities for Peterson's youth, said Col. Emily Buckman, 21st MSG commander. In District 11, about 1,525 students of the nearly 29,000 students in the district are military dependents, according to a District 11 spokeswoman.

"It is difficult for children to move from town to town and school to school," Colonel Whiting said. "The 21st SW now has a school liaison officer to help children and their families with those school moves. We believe that a quality and positive educational experience for our children is good for our Air Force families and for our overall mission."

Swigert Aerospace Academy is one of three schools where Peterson servicemembers can volunteer through the new 21st SW Adopt-A-School program. Airmen will also volunteer to tutor and mentor students at Mitchell High School and McCauliffe Elementary.

"This is an opportunity for our Airmen to provide mentorship to the kids in the area in which both the children and the Airmen benefit," said Lisa Ballard, 21st Space Wing school liaison officer.

This year, the Air Force celebrates the Year of the Air Force Family. The campaign is meant to highlight existing programs that benefit Airmen and their families and to fill gaps where needed. One of the identified gaps was a school advocate or liaison. As school liaison, Ms. Ballard will provide information about local educational opportunities for children and be an advocate for parents and children.

"This is one way to smooth the transition from one school to another by educating parents on their rights," Ms. Ballard said.

Swigert Aerospace Academy is one of 65 schools in the Colorado Springs School District 11. The school program uses space and aerospace themes and principles to teach subjects, including science, technology, engineering, the arts and math. The new space-themed middle school, 4220 E. Pikes Peak Ave., opened through a partnership between the Space Foundation and Colorado Springs School District 11. The new school was named for Colorado native and astronaut John L. Swigert, who served on NASA's Apollo 7 and Apollo 13 missions. Mr. Swigert died in 1982.

· For more information about Swigert Aerospace Academy, visit The Space Foundation at http://www.spacefoundation.org/
· For more information about Colorado Springs District 11, visit www.D11.org
· To reach the 21st Space Wing school liaison officer, call 556-6141

Visit