85R21465 BPG-D
By: Cyrier H.R. No. 1358
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Students and aviation and aerospace professionals
are gathering in Austin on April 11, 2017, for Texas STEM Powered by
Aviation and Aerospace Day at the State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, The Lone Star State is a world leader in the aviation
and aerospace industries, and accordingly, it places a strong
emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) education; students can prepare for careers in these fields
in 23 college and university-level aeronautical programs, 36 public
high schools offering aeronautical courses, and 13 Federal Aviation
Administration-approved aviation maintenance technology schools;
and
WHEREAS, To introduce students to aerospace fields, Karnes
City Independent School District, McKinney ISD, Irving ISD, Grand
Prairie ISD, and Sterling Aviation High School in Houston have all
created aviation-centric STEM courses, while Texas State Technical
College, Tarrant County College, Texas Southern University, and San
Jacinto College are producing pilots and aviation engineers,
mechanics, and technicians; and
WHEREAS, Companies such as Lockheed Martin, Gulfstream
Aerospace, Southwest Airlines, and Garver are establishing
partnerships with secondary and postsecondary schools to ensure
that students are ready for rewarding careers in aviation; in
addition, many firms promote the acquisition of skills required in
these key industries, among them Redbird Flight Simulations, which
manufactures innovative training devices for classroom use;
organizations such as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association,
the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the Experimental
Aircraft Association, and Texans for General Aviation are also
committed to cultivating aviation-centric STEM curricula; and
WHEREAS, The aviation and aerospace industries contribute
significantly to the prosperity of Texas, and the development of a
highly skilled workforce with a strong STEM foundation is essential
to the continued vitality of this sector of the economy; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize April 11, 2017, as Texas STEM Powered
by Aviation and Aerospace Day at the State Capitol.