FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Lori Trent, PAST Foundation - ltrent@pastfoundation.org
Alexis Creedy, USI - Alexis.Creedy@unmanned-safety.org
Announcing the PAST-USI Drone Fellowship 2021-2022
November 3, 2021 —The PAST Foundation is pleased to announce the PAST-USI Drone Fellowship program. This is a professional educator fellowship designed to provide the opportunity for development at different career stages in specific workforce areas important to the future of Ohio. The fellowship is intended to offer the individual the opportunity to learn and grow with a cohort of like-minded individuals as they develop the skill and knowledge to effectively implement the industry credentials affiliated with commercial drone pilot licenses. The Ohio Legislature has graciously funded the PAST Foundation to implement this fellowship to enable the candidate to pursue creative ways to implement industry recognized credentials for students in grades 7-12. These implementation strategies can be formal (classroom based) or informal (summer, afterschool, clubs...).
In partnership with the Unmanned Safety Institute, the PAST-USI Drone Fellow will receive the curriculum and training to prepare them for the FAA part 107b commercial drone pilot exam. Additionally, they can earn two USI credentials recognized by the State of Ohio, receive coaching and mentorship, collaborative opportunities for creative social enterprise, a drone to practice with and a stipend to implement a student experience utilizing drones and drone technology as a way to garner student interest in the attainment of the credential The PAST Foundation and the Unmanned Safety Institute are committed to supporting emerging or established leaders in their socially impactful work as public servants, founders, advocates, and creative artists in the design and delivery of STEM experiences for students.
The following districts have candidates that have successfully registered as the first cohort of PAST-USI Drone Fellows:
Belpre High School Chaney Middle School Chillicothe Middle School Cleveland High School For Digital Arts Dayton Regional STEM School EHOVE Career Center Facing History New Tech High School Hilliard Innovative Learning Center
iSTEM Geauga Early College High School John Marshall School of Engineering MC2 Stem High School Metro Early College High School Miles Park School New Albany High School New Albany Middle School NorthEast Ohio Impact Academy North Woods Career Prep Oak Harbor High School Oak Harbor Middle School PAST Foundation Innovators Club Perry High School Shaw High School St. Charles Preparatory The Dayton Regional STEM School The Gazelle Giggles Play Institute The Seven Hills School Thomas Jefferson International Newcomers Academy Tree of Life – Northridge Warner Girls' Leadership Academy Watkins Middle School
About the Unmanned Safety Institute: The Unmanned Safety Institute (USI) is the industry’s most widely recognized leader in flight safety solutions for individuals, academia and organizations focused on integrating and operating UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) for civil or commercial purposes. The Unmanned Safety Institute provides UAS flight safety training and certification to operational standards based on the adoption and modification of time-honored aviation safety practices. With more than 200 instructors and over 10,000 USI Certifications awarded around the world, USI works with large commercial enterprises and nearly 300 schools in all 50 states. USI is the global leader in commercial and academic UAS training and certification, delivering the most highly regarded training program of its kind. Programs include the Small UAS & Advanced Safety Certifications, Visual Line of Sight Systems OperationsTM (VSO) and Professional Remote OperatorTM (PRO) certifications and Unmanned ConnectTM workforce development initiative. USI’s training and certification programs are endorsed by major aviation insurance providers and incorporated into aviation association professional development programs and have been evaluated and recommended for college credit by the American Council on Education. Discover more at www.UnmannedSafetyInstitute.org.
About the PAST Foundation: For over 20 years, PAST, a non-profit organization, has been a leader in designing STEM education across the nation, bringing problem-based learning to educators and experiential programs to students. Recently, PAST’s Innovation Lab was named as a promising example to Re-imagine High School as featured in Forbes. PAST has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for its Excellence in Innovation in the STEM 2026 vision report. PAST was the only educational entity in Ohio to be included in this publication.
PAST was also recognized in 2014, by CGI America and former President Bill Clinton for their outstanding work, and again in 2015 for their achievements in improving STEM education in rural America. In 2015, the PAST Innovation Lab was recognized by the White House Summit on High School Design.
For more information on PAST Foundation and how you can link learning to life, visit our website or contact Lori Trent at ltrent@pastfoundation.org.