Blue skies and sunshine provided the perfect backdrop as Culpeper County Public Schools (CCPS) 5th graders headed to the Culpeper Airport on Wednesday, October 7, and Thursday, October 8, 2026, for the annual Culpeper Air Fest STEM Program. This year’s event marked an exciting milestone: 10 years of providing students with hands-on educational experiences at the Air Fest.
Over the two-day event, students rotated through interactive exhibits housed in seven 60-by-60-foot hangars, exploring activities that brought science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to life. The program is part of the Culpeper Air Fest’s ongoing commitment to providing educational opportunities for the community and gives students the chance to learn directly from local businesses, organizations, educators, aviation enthusiasts and other professionals.
The program welcomes 5th graders from Culpeper County Public Schools, along with private school and homeschool students, for an experience designed to spark curiosity, introduce potential career pathways and demonstrate how STEM concepts connect to the world around them.
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Sycamore Park 5th grade teacher Emily Feld shared that she has attended the STEM program at the airport since the beginning and this year was the best one yet. “I love how each year more sponsors and activities are available for students,” she said. “The highlight was definitely allowing the students to go on the military aircraft and sit on the planes! Another favorite part was the engaging hands-on activities students participated in using remote control vehicles, coding different equipment, as well as using force, motion, or energy to improve student thinking. Overall it was an amazing experience and we are so grateful our 5th graders could be part of it!”
CCPS extends gratitude to everyone who makes this event possible, from our airport, hangar owners, Career Partners, students, staff, presenters and this year’s signature sponsor, Dominion Energy. It truly takes a village to pull off this amazing opportunity for our students.
10 years of education at the Air Fest
For a decade, the Culpeper Air Fest STEM Program has transformed the airport into a hands-on classroom where 5th graders can explore everything from aviation and engineering to construction, robotics, health sciences and skilled trades.
This year’s lineup offered an especially wide range of experiences. Students programmed robotic devices to complete airport-themed challenges through the Amazon Think Big Experience and operated radio-controlled cranes and excavators with 3RC Services. They explored construction and engineering through hands-on displays and a virtual reality data center tour with CloudHQ, Holder Construction and Rosendin Electric.
Students also learned about the science and engineering behind the infrastructure they see every day. Cedar Mountain Stone and Chemung Contracting demonstrated the components involved in building roads and airports, while Carter CAT demonstrated engine tuning and robotic leveling. REC, Rochester and Shine provided experiences involving electrical principles, multimeters and solar energy.
Aviation remained at the heart of the experience. Students had the opportunity to see historic aircraft including the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation’s Douglas C-54 Skymaster, known as the “Candy Bomber,” as well as a C-47 Skytrain and B-25 Mitchell from the Michigan Flight Museum and World War II aircraft from the Commemorative Air Force. PHI Air Medical offered helicopter tours, Pilots For Christ provided a plane display and the Culpeper Model Barnstormers shared model aircraft demonstrations and displays.
Students also got a close-up look at aircraft restoration through the ongoing reconstruction of a 105-year-old Nieuport aircraft. Riveting experiences offered by the Altron Foundation and Rosie the Riveter gave students another hands-on connection to aviation history and engineering.
The activities stretched well beyond aviation. Germanna Community College brought virtual welders and an engineering simulation using drones, while Germanna’s EMS Program taught hands-only CPR and offered tours of a UVA ambulance. Playdate – A Children’s Museum introduced students to Indie Sphero robotic cars and building challenges, while the Museum of Culpeper History combined history and engineering through mini hot air balloon construction.
Culpeper Technical Education Center (CTEC) students were also part of the experience, leading paper airplane activities and sharing automotive engine displays and control boards. For some CTEC students, participating as presenters brings the program full circle—they remember attending STEM at the Airport themselves when they were 5th graders.
Other experiences included model aircraft demonstrations, solar technology and even 3D printing through the Vampire Jet 3D Print display. Together, the exhibits gave students a glimpse into the tremendous variety of careers and technologies connected to STEM.
CCPS Transportation staff were another essential part of the two-day event. Bus drivers ensured students traveled safely to and from the airport and helped make it possible for hundreds of 5th graders to participate.
With perfect fall weather, brilliant blue skies and hands-on learning filling the hangars, the 10th anniversary of the Culpeper Air Fest STEM Program celebrated much more than a successful two-day event. It highlighted a decade of community partners coming together to inspire Culpeper’s young people, expose them to new possibilities and show them where an interest in STEM can lead.
After 10 years, the program continues to demonstrate the impact of taking learning beyond the classroom, giving students the opportunity to explore, create, discover and imagine their own futures.
