CONTACT:

Robin Petgrave

Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum

(310) 618-1155

cell (310) 938-2727

FAX (877) 999-2099

robin@tamuseum.org

www.tamuseum.org

School Contact:

Carla Geary

(562) 440-4161

Emerson Elementary School

1011 E. Caldwell St.

Compton, CA 90221

COMPTON SCHOOL TO HOST HELICOPTER LANDING ON CAMPUS

Career Day Speaker and Tuskegee Airman to Fly-in and Speak

Compton, California – April 29, 2010  (TAM)  On Friday, April 30, 2010 at 9:00 AM, Compton’s Emerson Elementary School will be the site of  a special Career Day event as Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum’s (TAM)  founder Robin Petgrave flies in via helicopter  for a speech.  Accompanying him will be Tuskegee Airman Otis “Big O” Cowley.

Approximately 600 students will be on hand to see the helicopter land on the school’s sports field.  Petgrave will give a short speech encouraging kids to stay in school and follow their dreams. They will then return to class and be brought back out in smaller groups to learn a little about how a helicopter works and will be able to sit inside and get an up close look at the Robinson R44 aircraft and have the opportunity to ask questions of Petgrave and Cowley.

The visit is a precursor to the 7^th annual Aviation Industry Career Expo at Compton Woodley Airport on Saturday, May 15 from 10AM to 4PM, hosted by TAM.  This event is largely intended for kids who attend the many schools that don’t have career days this year due to budget cuts. This year marks the first International Learn To Fly Day initiated by the EAA Young Eagles program. International Learn to Fly Day is meant to raise interest in flying and encourage current pilots to get others involved in aviation.

Recruiters with the Armed Forces, Police, Sheriff’s and Fire Departments will be on hand to talk to children and adults alike about future career paths. College

and technical school recruiters will also be available. A contingent of  Buffalo

Soldiers and Tuskegee Airmen, the legendary WW II African-American fighter pilots will be available for meet-and-greets and to autograph material.

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Ten-thousand attendees are expected this year. Exhibitors and aircraft participants will include the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, EAA Young Eagles, Buffalo Soldiers, Boeing, Santa Monica Museum of Flying, OBAP, CBAA, and many more.                          

Other attractions include free airplane rides for children under the age of 18 sponsored by the EAA Young Eagles program, on a first-come, first- served basis.  Airplane rides can also be purchased for $15 and helicopter rides for $25.  Numerous food stands will be set up offering a variety of ethnic treats and arts and crafts will be for sale. Cliff’s will sponsor a burrito-eating contest.

Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum, is a non-profit organization that provides after school programs, tutoring and mentoring for at-risk youth.  TAM also allows kids to earn flight lessons through performing community service.  Ten of TAM’s program kids have set 12 world records in aviation. This event is made possible in part by the City of Compton Parks & Recreation, CUSD ROP, Warehouse Shoe Sale, and ESPN X Games.

The Tuskegee Airmen were the result of an experiment in the U.S. Army Air Forces which proved that, given equal opportunity and training, African-Americans could fly in, command and support combat units as well as their causasian counterparts. The USAAF’s black fliers, the so-called “Tuskegee Airmen,” served with distinction in combat and directly contributed to the eventual integration of the U.S. armed services, with the U.S. Air Force leading the way.

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Fight Poverty with Passion!

Make an Impact in Your Community!

Build Capacity and Help TAM’s Aero Squad After School Program for At-Risk Youth Improve & Expand!

If you want to do these things, then AmeriCorps*VISTA at Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum (TAM) in Compton, CA is looking for you. TAM is seeking three positions:

   Development Associate – Start Date July 6, 2010

   Youth Outreach Coordinator – Start Date July 6, 2010

   Volunteer Outreach Coordinator  – Start Date 2011

Benefits:

• Living allowance approximately $1,300/month & choice of Education Award or Stipend after completion of one year
• Health Coverage
• Child Care assistance, if eligible
• Training

Requirements:

    -  Minimum one year commitment to service

     – Must be U.S. Citizen at least 18 years of age

     –  High School Graduate

     - Prohibits paid work outside of the sponsoring agency at any time. 

 Skills Desired:

• At least 2 years of college recommended
• Previous AmeriCorps and/or non-profit experience a plus
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office (or Open Office), especially Excel
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. Excellent listening skills.
• Motivated, self-starter with a desire to make a difference in the lives of at-risk youth

 How to apply:

Complete application form in-person or online at http://www.americorps.gov/

Search “Children/Youth” in CA, and see Aero Squad After School Program (2 listings).

Contact for more information:

Myra Petgrave

Project Director & AmeriCorps*VISTA Supervisor

Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum, 961 W. Alondra Blvd., Compton, CA 90220

310-618-1155           Myra@TAMuseum.org

On Saturday, March 13th, 2010, original Tuskegee Airman Levi Thornhill was a guest speaker at TAM for the Flight Sim Cadet Private Pilot Class. Thornhill gave students a two hour introductory lesson in formation flying.

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On March 30, 2010 after speaking at Washtenaw Community College, TAM’s Executive Director Robin Petgrave, Aviation Explorers Kimberly & Kelly Anyadike, and Tuskegee Airmen received a guided tour of Motown Records from singer Martha Reeves.

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Legacy Dinner May 14, 2010 & Aviation Industry Career Expo May 15, 2010

Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum, Kimberly and Kelly Anyadike Honored on CA State Senate and Assembly Floors

On August 17, 2009 high-flying sisters Kimberly and Kelly Anyadike were invited to Sacramento to be honored by Governor Schwarzenegger, Senator Roderick Wright and Assemblyman Isadore Hall.

The trip was organized by Senator Rod Wright and sponsored by Bill Simone of Custom Design Construction, who flew Robin Petgrave, Tuskegee Airman Levi Thornhill and the sisters in a private Kingair to the Capitol. They received a very warm welcome from Senator Wright who presented them with a resolution on the Senate floor. They were also recognized and commended on the Assembly floor by Assemblyman Hall who presented them with beautiful framed resolutions.

To top it off, they spent some time privately with Governor Schwarzenegger who said he was proud and honored to meet the group. He commended Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum for being a place where kids like Kimberly can achieve their dreams. The Governor then presented Kimberly with a Governor’s proclamation and congratulated her on a job well done.

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Saturday, July 25th, 2009

Our semi-annual Legacy: A Tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen fundraising dinner and silent auction was held in July and was a roaring success. Our keynote speaker was Dr. Mae Jemison, NASA’s first African-American female astronaut. Dr Jemison commended Kimberly Anyadike on her achievements in aviation and inspired us all with her words of wisdom and encouragement.

The event was hosted by HOT 92.3 deejay Josefa Salinas. Other notable distinguished guests included Senator Roderick Wright, Senator Curren Price, April Lawrence representing Maxine Waters, Mayor Eric Perrodin, Councilwoman Lillie Dobson, Councilwoman Yvonne Arceneaux, Reena Singh with Compton Unified School District ROP, Steve Bradford with Southern California Edison, & Buffalo Soldiers to name a few.

Nearly all of the auction items were sold to enthusiastic bidders. Lucky high bidders took home a helicopter ride-along with the L.A. County Sherriff’s department, Alaska Airlines tickets and many other wonderful items.

Big thanks to all those who volunteered their time and money to make this event a success, including “Songs of Solomon”!

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Regional Archives
By Shari’ Wright – WI Contributing Writer
Wednesday, 22 July 2009

Unlike most teenagers, Kimberly Anyadike did not spend her summer vacation at the pool or in the malls, rather, the 15-year-old, participated in a program that deals with wind shear, touchdown zones and the center of gravity at an interactive aviation museum on the West Coast.

Anyadike, a student pilot at Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum [TAM] in Compton, Calif., said that her interest in aviation was piqued three years ago when she first learned about the innovative program that offers minority students hands-on flight instruction and an introduction to opportunities in the field of aviation.

After three years of working full-time for flight time, Anyadike made history as the youngest African American female to fly across country – logging 7,000 miles – from Compton to Newport News, Va., in 13 days. Although it was a solo flight for the enthusiastic teenager, she had the benefit of a legend in the cockpit behind her.

“I got a rush whenever I took off, with my hands on the controls and throttle. But, I loved seeing everything,” Anyadike said. “When you’re on the ground you forget how beautiful the country is. I had to tell myself to soak in as much as possible.”

The thrill of flight isn’t lost on Robin Petgrave, the founder of Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum. The veteran pilot, who serves as a father-figure to many of his students, said his staff works with about 800 children beginning at age eight.

“We introduce them to realms they may not ever [have] experienced. The students are allowed to [participate] in certain activities and in turn, exchange those hours for flight lessons,” Petgrave said.

When Anyadike initially approached Petgrave with the idea to fly across country, she had one request, if her wish was granted: that she dedicate her flight to the Tuskegee Airmen.

“I didn’t know anything about the Tuskegee Airmen until I got involved with [TAM]. I wasn’t taught about them in school. But, we have learned all about them and I was inspired,” Anyadike said.

Petgrave said the program also teaches students the history of aviation with the hope of engendering an interest in the field. Students learn science, math, geography and about notables in aviation that include the Tuskegee Airman.

“I was taken aback when Kimberly came into my office with her proposal, but she was firm and I immediately started to think of what this could do,” Petgrave said. “I want to continuously have the program work to uphold the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and Kimberly’s tribute would do that.”

Once the meeting had ended, Petgrave started to chart the course that would take Anyadike from her home state of California to Virginia and back. He also enlisted the help of Levi Thornhill, one of the original Tuskegee Airmen.

“I thought the idea was wonderful,” Thornhill, 87, said. “I went to the museum because I’ve always wanted to ignite the desire and curiosity of kids. You have to emphasize the importance of education.”

Thornhill, a former Propeller Specialist and P-47 crew chief with the Tuskegee Airmen, said that he was honored to take part in the trip and to co-pilot a plane named in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen.

Petgrave hopes to accomplish even more.

“My goal is to acquire enough planes to name one for every Tuskegee Airmen, so they will fly with us forever,” he said.

Both Petgrave and Thornhill said they understand the impact history and aviation can have on young minds. Both men share a desire to spark the imagination of children. They said that they want to provide children with opportunities beyond what is offered in the schools. They would like to see more children take advantage of opportunities like the one afforded Anyadike.

“If you have something that excited you and [it’s made] available to you, you would do it,” Thornhill said.

Anyadike departed from Compton Woodley Airport in Compton, Calif. on Mon., Jun. 29. She made stops in cities that included Austin, Texas, Philadelphia, Pa. and Newport News, Va. She also made a special stopover in the Washington, D.C. area at College Park Airport in College Park, Md., where she was greeted by more of the original Tuskegee Airmen, local chapter members of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc., Rep. Laura Richardson (D-Calif.) and cheering supporters.

“Things like this motivate young people and enable them to do well in so many other areas. Because they see Kimberly, they may be inspired to go for one of their own major goals,” Richardson said.

Anyadike landed at Compton Woodley on Sat., July 11.

Kimberly Anyadike is greeted after landing at Compton Woodley Airport on Saturday. She is believed to be the youngest African American female to complete the flight across the country.

Trained how to fly in a program for disadvantaged youths, she is believed to be the youngest African American female pilot to make the trip across the U.S.

By My-Thuan Tran
July 12, 2009

A 15-year-old Los Angeles girl who navigated a single-engine Cessna through thunderstorms in Texas and took in breathtaking aerial views of Arizona’s sunsets landed her plane to cheering crowds at Compton Woodley Airport on Saturday. She is believed to be the youngest African American female pilot to fly solo across the country.

Kimberly Anyadike took off from Compton 13 days ago with an adult safety pilot and Levi Thornhill, an 87-year-old who served with the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. They flew to Newport News, Va., making about a dozen stops along the way.

Anyadike learned to fly a plane and helicopter when she was 12 with the Compton-based Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum, which offers aviation lessons to at-risk youth and economically disadvantaged students through an after-school program. The organization owns the small plane Anyadike flew.

Anyadike said she loved the feeling of streaking across the sky. She told her mother that it was like a wild ride at Magic Mountain.

She came up with the idea to fly across the country a few months after learning to fly. Robin Petgrave, the aeronautical museum’s founder, warned her that it would take a lot of preparation.

“I told her it was going to be a daunting task,” he said, “but she just said, ‘Put it on. I got big shoulders.’ ”

The organization said there is no official group that tracks such records, but their research showed that her trip at age 15 is rare among pilots.

Anyadike said she didn’t want to make the trip to set a record or become some kind of celebrity.

“I wanted to inspire other kids to really believe in themselves,” she said. She also wanted to honor the Tuskegee Airmen, the U.S. Army Air Corps’ all-black combat unit that served during World War II.

“They left such a great legacy. I had big shoes to fill,” she said. “All they wanted to do was to be patriots for this country. They were told no, that they were stupid, that they didn’t have cognitive development to fly planes. They didn’t listen. They just did what they wanted to do.”

Anyadike’s Cessna and the other planes at Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum have red tails, similar to the Tuskegee Airmen’s planes.

During her cross-country trip, Anyadike met about 50 Tuskegee Airmen who autographed the Cessna. “That way they can fly with us forever,” Petgrave said.

my-thuan.tran@latimes.com