Growing District Enrollment with Drones: San Diego Unified x Parks & Recreation​

This edWeb podcast is sponsored by Robolink.The webinar recording can be accessed here.Discover how a city partnership powered the Aerial Drone Competition to become an enrollment driver for Millennial Tech Middle School, one of San Diego Unified School District’s growing schools.​This edWeb podcast features two pioneers of middle and high school drone programs in San Diego: CTE Teacher Sarah Hillard and Abel Garnica from San Diego Parks and Recreation. Together, they outline what it takes to launch and sustain a successful drone competition program. You hear how drone flight immediately engages students (no building required), why drone competitions are uniquely equitable (results depend on student effort, not budget), and how a partnership can solve problems some schools can’t crack on their own: space, staffing, and long-term sustainability.​You leave with a flight plan for your own drone program, covering:Pre-flight Check — How to make the case to your principal or districtTakeoff — Securing your first small grants and getting equipment in students’ handsAltitude — Building a city or community partnership that keeps the program flying through staff changes and budget shiftsLanding — Using your drone team as a school recruitment and community engagement toolPlus: You get the contact info for the RECF Aerial Drone Competition support manager in your region, who can help with grants for new drone teams.​This edWeb podcast is of interest to K-12 district leaders, principals, STEM coordinators, CTE directors, CS and STEM teachers, and afterschool program directors.RobolinkRobolink creates robotics and edtech solutions that equip students with skills for STEM careers.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Learn more about viewing live edWeb presentations and on-demand recordings, earning CE certificates, and using accessibility features.