July 2020 Primary, Elementary, Middle, and High Schools
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CAF RISE ABOVE® Inspiring young people to RISE ABOVE adversity using the lessons and stories of the Tuskegee Airmen and the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). 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), 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 Photo courtesy Alan Miller to persevere through their challenges. School kick-off resources and “flight plans will be available for PreK, In This Issue - July 2020 primary, elementary, middle, and high schools. Inspiring short videos about WWII Tuskegee Airmen and Women • Tour schedule at a glance Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) are also included to help • Greetings from the educators and students “rise above” crisis challenges. Ambassador team Teachers can use these resources to provide help to • Volunteer Spotlight students setting personal achievement goals for the year. • Tuskegee Airmen: Did you “From its inception CAF RISE ABOVE has been about inspiring young people using the know story of the Tuskegee Airmen and the WASP,” says Squadron Leader Doug Rozendaal. • Tuskegee Airmen: Quote “This campaign provides us with the opportunity to dramatically expand our reach of the month and carry the message of Triumph Over Adversity through these great examples. We • Our mission in action are proud to be a part of this collaborative educational effort and excited about the program launch.” • Educational resources • Tuskegee Airmen Profiles: The program is sponsored by The Institute for Performance Improvement (TIFPI), a James Everett Bowman performance improvement specialist group dedicated to developing, certifying, and • And then there where supporting school improvement facilitators at state and local education agencies and women! Elizabeth T. at school levels. Other collaborators include Quigg Associates, the Schlechty Center, Hale Associates, Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB), Iberian Consulting, Dozier Mercer University School of Medicine, and the Georgia Rural Health Information • Tuskegee Airmen: Virtual Center. Redwood Educational Technologies provided original content in support of Museum artifact spotlight the initiative. • Shop with a purpose • Join the Top Flight Club • Tuskegee Airmen: Archive photos • WASP Profile: Bernice (Falk)Haydu • WASP: Did you know • WASP: Archive photos • Thank you supporters • For more information Be sure to watch the Back-to-School Campaign graphic novel that features video interviews with Tuskegee Airman Dr. Harold Brown talking to students about applying the Six Guiding Principles to their lives! In case you missed it! The Facebook Live interview! CAF RISE ABOVE Leader Doug Rozendaal spoke with Tuskegee Airman Lt Col Harold Brown and WWII Veteran Captain Jack Wichser. You can also check out conversations with original Tuskegee Airmen in on our webinars. MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!! July 22 at 7pm Central The CAF Red Tail Squadron is hosting another LiveFeed with Meet the CAF Red Tail Squadron Pilots RISE ABOVE tour schedule at a glance PLEASE CHECK OUR SCHEDULE ONLINE FOR UPDATES! DATE EVENT LOCATION July 31- August 2 Flying Legends of Victory Tour Sioux Falls, SD P-51C Mustang August 3-9 Flying Legends of Victory Tour Rochester, MN P-51C Mustang September 5-6 Kansas City Airshow New Century, KS RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit and P-51C Mustang September 25 Arsenal of Democracy Fly-Over [Postponed from May 8] Washington D.C. P-51C Mustang October 7-11 Tri-State Warbird Museum Batavia, OH RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit and P-51C Mustang October 24-25 Thunder Over the Rock Little Rock AFB, AR RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit and P-51C Mustang Oct 28-Nov 1 BFTS Flight Museum Terrell, TX RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit November 7-8 Stuart Airshow Stuart, FL RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit and P-51C Mustang November 14-15 Joint Base San Antonio Airshow San Antonio, TX RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit and P-51C Mustang To book RISE ABOVE for your event contact Kristi Younkin, Senior Logistics Coordinator, at [email protected] or call (479) 228-4520 Page 2 GREETINGS FROM THE AMBASSADOR TEAM! Normally this time of year, there is great excitement in the air as the days, hours and seconds are counted down to the start of EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh. The anticipation of the event brings a sense of giddiness, reuniting with our friends old and new, from near and far, and surrounded by the joys of aviation, which for many, inspire dreams to take flight. It’s also that rare time when we are honored to host a couple of the Tuskegee Airmen for the week, and this year we would have an even bigger reason to celebrate, as 2020 would have marked our 10th anniversary at Oshkosh. Though it’s not in the cards this year, it only gives us reason to be super excited for OSH21! Let the countdown begin to fantastic times ahead! If you would like to join us at Oshkosh next year or at another event when Volunteer Coordinator the CAF RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit resumes our tour, or maybe you’d like Melanie Burden to help out right now from the comfort of your own home, we are always seeking volunteers to be a part of our team. Please reach out at cafriseabove. org and find out more about what we do. “My experience as a volunteer with the CAF Red Tail Squadron RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit was very rewarding and it is a memory I will always cherish. I really enjoyed helping to share the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and showing how their strength of character, courage and ability lead to triumph over adversity. They truly serve as inspiration to others to overcome challenges in their own lives and ultimately accomplish their personal and professional hopes and dreams. I would highly recommend that you experience this volunteer role, as I did. Your appreciation and respect for the Tuskegee Airmen will increase tenfold and you will be enriched by the interaction with the visitors who come to see the exhibit. Their passion and love for the Tuskegee Airmen will amaze you. This story must continue to be told and what better way than through the Traveling Exhibit. I plan to participate again during the next tour season and I would recommend that the same be done by others. It is an experience I will forever hold dear I would encourage everyone to volunteer at CAF Red Tail Squadron RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit.” ~Col Quentin Smith Page 3 VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT Ken Mist My first introduction to the CAF Red Tail Squadron took place at Oshkosh in 2012 through my friend and former Squadron Leader, Bill Shepard. As a Canadian history buff, I knew a little about the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and I was immediately taken by the drive and commitment of the whole team to carry their legacy forward to modern audiences through appearances by the incredible Mustang and the inspiring RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit. In 2013 I joined the team in Dayton Ohio and began documenting their work through my photography, and one year later I was asked to become a volunteer ambassador, a position I happily accepted as I was just coming up on retirement. Since then I have attended many events across the US and Canada, assisting at the exhibit and crewing the aircraft. Thousands of miles and thousands of faces later, I am still honored to put on the team shirt and meet the public. By far, our yearly visit to EAA’s AirVenture in Oshkosh is my favorite event on the calendar. Since 2015 I have had the great joy of acting as escort for the Tuskegee Airmen who we host. Whirlwind days and nights getting them from appointment to appointment, all the time seeing how much they are loved by the adoring crowds that line up to see them, is a true labor of love. I can hardly walk by the end of the day and I have no idea where men like Charles McGee, George Hardy, Harry Stewart and the others get their seemingly limitless energy. The last few years we have been situated at KidVenture which has been especially rewarding as we help EAA guide the next generation of pilots and aviation technicians towards their future. The addition of the story of the WASP is especially exciting. It’s sad that COVID-19 has resulted in the cancellation of Oshkosh and so many other events on the calendar this year, but I await the call to get back on the road to share the Six Guiding Principles of the Tuskegee Airmen and the WASP. AIM HIGH – BELIEVE IN YOURSELF – USE YOUR BRAIN BE READY TO GO – NEVER QUIT – EXPECT TO WIN Note from the CAF RISE ABOVE team: We cannot express our gratitude strongly enough for the many years of Ken’s dedication to volunteering and providing us with fantastic photographs!!! Thank You, Ken! Page 4 DID YOU KNOW? On this date, the following Tuskegee Airmen events occurred: 14 July 1944: A “rest camp for colored enlisted men,” located between Termoli and Vasto, Italy, was expected to be in operation by 31 July 1944. (XV Air Force Service Command staff journal entry for 14 Jul 1944) 14 July 1948: Capt. Joseph D. Elsberry resumed command of the 100th Fighter Squadron, a position he had held in May. (100th Fighter Squadron lineage and honors history). Capt. Joseph D. Elsberry QUOTE OF THE MONTH “It’s never too late for your country to say that you’ve done a great job for us.” ~ Tuskegee Airman Col.