March 14, 2010 Crossfield Teacher Award Nominees Sought

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By Russ Niles, Editor-in-Chief

Teachers who inject a little aviation into their lessons are invited to apply for an award that can put them in touch with some of the biggest names in the industry. Nominations close May 1 for the A. Scott Crossfield Aerospace Education Teacher of the Year Award. Crossfield, who died in 2006, started the award in 1986 in recognition of the fact that it was an airplane-savvy teacher who pointed him on his career path. Crossfield's daughter Sally Crossfield Farley kept the award going and explained in a podcast interview that it's now handed out as part of the start-studded National Aviation Hall of Fame induction ceremony, held each July.

Crossfield-Farley said all of the teachers who have won the award have helped introduce students to aviation and some have created national and international programs to help encourage youth to take it up. One teacher's class built a flying replica of a 1902 Wright glider. The award is open to teachers in public and private schools teaching kindergarten to 12th Grade and more information can be obtained by calling the Hall of Fame at 1-888-383-1903.