Chopper lands at Watkins-Nance Elementary as part of STEM program

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — It’s not everyday that you get to see an attack helicopter land in person — much less while you’re at school.

Well the kids at Watkins-Nance Elementary did just that Thursday morning — all in an effort to promote the school’s STEM program.

“To see the smiles on the faces and see the excitement around education. So this lets us know the students are eager to learn, they’re excited about the program, and they really want to be a part of what we’re doing,” says Stephanie Long, the school’s STEM Consultant.

The Celebrate Freedom Foundation, a non-profit out of Columbia made up of Veterans and volunteers, coordinates the fly-ins.

They also bring along a hunter drone and a Humvee — giving young learners a close up look and allowing them to ask any questions that they like.

“Our pilots that are back here behind us. They are our military, they’re our veterans. And that’s what celebrate freedom foundation is, it’s our veterans inspiring the next generation. We have every branch of service that comes and volunteers with us, and they will fly into the schools. This bird does not fly into combat any more, but there’s other uses for the aircrafts,” says the group’s Executive Vice President Lori Wicker.

Leaders say the chopper, drone, and Humvee provide lessons relatable to STEM subjects and help the students realize a number of careers are available to them when they get older — including ones you may not have initially guessed.

“So we’re starting at the elementary school level going all the way up to colleges now, talking about the different careers. And getting their mind set on, ‘hey I want to draw for a living. That’s a career cause that’s painting, that’s graphic designs,” says Wicker.

Students must apply to be a part of the STEM program. And so many applied that the school had to hold a lottery for this year.

“So, for me as a STEM Consultant, I am very excited about what’s going to happen here at Watkins-Nance,” says Long.

The school is the first stop in a series of fly-ins that the foundation has planned across SC this school year.