CAF RISE ABOVE Squadron announces RISE ABOVE Back-to-School Campaign
(DALLAS – June 22, 2020) The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) RISE ABOVE Squadron has launched a new program featuring the stories of the Tuskegee Airmen and Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) and focused on the social-emotional health of students as they begin the next school year during this worldwide pandemic. The RISE ABOVE Back-to-School Campaign will provide free electronic resources to support and inspire educators and students to Triumph Over Adversity and work together to persevere through their challenges. School kick-off resources and "flight plans will be available for PreK, primary, elementary, middle, and high schools. Inspiring short videos about WWII Tuskegee Airmen and Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) are also included to help educators and students "rise above” crisis challenges. Teachers can use these resources to provide help to students setting personal achievement goals for the year.
“From its inception CAF RISE ABOVE has been about inspiring young people using the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and the WASP,” says Squadron Leader Doug Rozendaal. “This campaign provides us with the opportunity to dramatically expand our reach and carry the message of Triumph Over Adversity through these great examples. We are proud to be a part of this collaborative educational effort and excited about the program launch.”
The program is sponsored by The Institute for Performance Improvement (TIFPI), a performance improvement specialist group dedicated to developing, certifying, and supporting school improvement facilitators at state and local education agencies and at school levels. Other collaborators include Quigg Associates, the Schlechty Center, Hale Associates, Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB), Iberian Consulting, Mercer University School of Medicine, and the Georgia Rural Health Information Center. Redwood Educational Technologies provided original content in support of the initiative.
“The Institute for Performance Improvement is pleased to support the CAF RISE ABOVE Squadron in providing a free back-to-school campaign tool. This resource supports school systems, schools, educators, counselors and others to meet the social-emotional needs of students and teachers amid the COVID-19 crisis,” Deb Page, TIFPI President and program sponsor, tells us. “As educators and their students head back to school, they need the support this resource provides to recognize and motivate everyone to Rise Above the challenges. TIFPI trains and certifies school improvement and innovation facilitators nationwide. We are pleased to donate our efforts to this project”
About CAF RISE ABOVE CAF RISE ABOVE is a trademarked 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. 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 film Rise Above: Red Tail 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 — 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 11,000 volunteers who support the CAF nationally 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.
Check out this video of the CAF Rise Above: WASP trailer:
See more at www.cafriseabove.org.
