Commemorative Air Force Rise Above Program Announces Availability of Free Online Learning Resources
RED WING, Minn., Mar. 19, 2020— In light of the impact that COVID-19 is having on public gatherings, including the RISE ABOVE® Traveling Exhibit and P-51 Red Tail airshow, the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) RISE ABOVE team is sharing free online resources for educators, youth leaders, parents and students. These resources, including a study kits and a virtual museum, offer a wealth of information about the historic Tuskegee Airmen and the Women Airforce Services Program (WASP). Resources can be found on the program’s website www.cafriseabove.org/.
“Our mission is to inspire young people to triumph over adversity using the lessons and stories of the Tuskegee Airmen and the WASP,” says RISE ABOVE squadron leader Doug Rozendaal. “The adversity we are currently facing does not allow us to be on the road with our traveling exhibit, but the CAF RISE ABOVE Squadron does have free online educational resources parents and teachers can use for remote learning. Like the Tuskegee Airmen and the WASP, Americans will rise above this situation. Using these stories at this time is a great lesson for all of us, young and old.”
These online resources have been gathered to share World War II aviation with young people, inspiring them to achieve their dreams by telling the stories of the Tuskegee Airmen and Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Their strength of character, courage and ability to Triumph Over Adversity® may serve as a means to inspire others to RISE ABOVE obstacles in their own lives and achieve their goals.
The following assets may either be downloaded or viewed online:
• Free, downloadable RISE ABOVE Resource Kits provide users access to posters featuring the Six Guiding Principles, PowerPoints, activities and a wealth of material about the Tuskegee Airmen and the WASP. • The CAF Red Tail Squadron’s online VIRTUAL MUSEUM is an online community collaborative effort, made up of photos and information of artifacts pertaining to the Tuskegee Airmen submitted from all around the country. Anyone with an item of significance to the Tuskegee Airmen, or who has visited the location of a memorial in tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, can share their knowledge by submitting to the VIRTUAL MUSEUM. • PROFILES OF TUSKEGEE AIRMEN feature stories of individual Airmen – both pilots and support personnel. New profiles and stories are added as the RED TAIL team obtains additional information. The public is invited to share relevant documents or photos of relatives, friends or colleagues. These stories are also featured in our the group’s monthly eNewsletter, RED TAIL MAIL®.
About CAF RISE ABOVE: The CAF RISE ABOVE Squadron is a volunteer-driven non-profit organization dedicated to educating audiences across the country about the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, America’s first black military pilots and their support personnel, and the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). The CAF RISE ABOVE educational initiative is a three-fold outreach program, including a fully restored WWII-era P-51C Mustang, the signature aircraft of the Tuskegee Airmen; the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit 53’ mobile theater featuring the original panoramic films RISE ABOVE and RISE ABOVE: WASP; and resource materials for teachers and youth leaders. Each year, they embark on a nine-month cross-country tour that includes appearances at air shows, schools, museums and community events. The group’s Six Guiding Principles – Aim High, Believe In Yourself, Use Your Brain, Be Ready To Go, Never Quit and Expect to Win© – serve as the foundation for their outreach programs and are based on the experiences and successes of the Tuskegee Airmen and the WASP. The CAF RISE ABOVE Squadron is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization part of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). Learn more at www.cafriseabove.org.
**About the Commemorative Air Force: ** The Commemorative Air Force is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Dallas, and the recognized leader of the Warbird Movement 00 the effort to preserve and honor American military aviation history. Since it was founded in 1957, the CAF has accrued 170 historic aircraft – the largest collection of vintage military aircraft in the world/ Educational outreach programs impact an estimated 20 million Americans each year thanks to over 12,000 volunteers who support the CAF national and overseas. The Commemorative Air Force honors the men and women who built, maintained, and flew in American airplanes during World War II. The organization believes that is best accomplished by maintaining the airplanes in flying condition; taking the airplanes to the people, allowing them to experience the sight and sound of the aircraft in flight. For more information, visit www.commemorativeairforce.org.
Press Contact: Kim Pardon CAF RISE ABOVE Educational Outreach Program kmpardon@yahoo.com (913) 636-6250
