There are many ways for students to measure success, and competing head-to-head with other schools with STEM programs is only one.
But it can be very satisfying.
The Palmdale Aerospace Academy, in Palmdale, Calif., has a thriving robotics program, and yearly sends a team of 15 students to compete in the regional Science Olympiad at Antelope Valley College.
The TPAA robotics team Griffingear 5012, took first place in the inaugural “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,” or FIRST, competition held in the Antelope Valley. Griffingear and other high school programs are part of an international organization that promotes science education.
This year, Griffingear 5012’s robot won a “Best in Show,” trophy.
In February of 2024, the TPAA Science Olympiad team had an impressive performance at the Los Angeles County Regionals at AVC, where they competed against 30 other teams from Southern California.
Yvette Todd, who teaches anatomy, biology, and physiology at the school, is the coach of the Olympiad team along with Amanda Goff and Hilda Maya.
The team placed in the top 10 in 18 of the 23 total events and earned a medal in 12 events. Overall, the team earned third place at Regionals and earned a spot to compete at the state competition for the first time since 2017.
At the California Institute of Technology State Competition, a group of 15 students from TPAA competed against the top 32 teams from around Southern California. Their strongest performances were in Optics (10th), Tower (14th), and Forensics (16th). The 2023-2024 competition season was the most successful in the history of TPAA, according to Todd.
Todd said the team is always looking for mentors who can help their team perform better in all fields of STEM. Anyone who works in a STEM-related field is a likely candidate: doctors, nurses, mathematicians, scientists, engineers, and those who work in aerospace.
If you are interested in mentoring, please contact Yvette Todd at ystodd@tpaa.org or call the school office at 661-273-3680.
The Mission
The Palmdale Aerospace Academy states that their mission “utilizes an effective articulation between learning levels, TK [transitional kindergarten] to 12th grade, that creates an environment that inspires students to explore, expand and innovate ways to learn.”
“At all levels of learning, students are supported, encouraged, and challenged to go beyond the borders of their current experience to develop talents and skills that they will use for the rest of their lives,” according to their website.
Their programs “emphasize the integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and are influenced by the aerospace industry.” TPAA “will continue to evolve its programs thus improving the successes of students.”
The Vision
TPAA says that their vision is to “provide an environment for learning with purpose at all levels of learning, TK-12th grade, where students will be supported, encouraged, and challenged to develop the skills they will use for the rest of their lives.”
In U.S. News and World Report’s “Best High Schools Rankings,” TPAA earned an overall score of 80.72 out of 100, and 43% of students have taken an Advanced Placement test, with a “total minority enrollment of 95%, and 55% of students are economically disadvantaged.”
According to their website, TPAA is a charter “school of choice, therefore any student going into grades TK to 12 may apply, regardless of the district school they are assigned to.”
The lottery application window opens on Dec. 1. The last day to submit applications for the 2025 lottery will be the Wednesday before lottery day, the last Saturday in February. Applicants are given a code and can check the website in March to see if their child has won a space.
For information, access
https://www.tpaa.org/ and hit the “Apply” button.
