VASFA celebrated our 25th anniversary this year, a year full of special events in addition to our expanding STEM programming. On this final day of the year, we look back proud of what was accomplished, thankful for the celebrations marking this anniversary year, and excited about what lies ahead in 2024!

Let’s look back at what we accomplished and celebrated together this year.

SPIRIT OF VIRGINIA AWARD

We had the immense pleasure of receiving the Spirit of Virginia Award coupled with the visit of the Governor and First Lady of Virginia during our Space Adventure Camp Week 5 Graduation.

The Governor and First Lady handed our campers their certificates and then continued to spend time conversing with each of them after the ceremony. He and the First Lady spent over an hour doing this, and our campers appreciated celebrating their achievements with them.

WE BROUGHT STEM EXPLORERS TOGETHER

We served 1,000 people through our programming this year. We accomplished this through various virtual events (Trivia Nights, etc.), our iconic Space Adventure Camp, our expanding STEM Academy, customized programming for local schools, community partners, and the Naval Sea Cadets of Frederick, MD. This was most definitely a record for VASFA!

WE CONNECTED PEOPLE, FAR AND WIDE

We directly instructed and served 475 students by means of our programming throughout the year. These students hailed from 25 of the 50 US states.

WE HOSTED A RECORD NUMBER OF SPACE ADVENTURE CAMPERS

This summer, we hosted 216 campers at our Space Adventure Camp over 6 weeks. The campers met with SMEs from NASA, Rocket Lab, Virginia Spaceport Authority, and other aerospace companies while touring behind the scenes at Wallops. Additionally, they built and launched model rockets, built and coded robotic systems, operated sUAS, and had traditional camp fun (Iron Pony Aerial Adventure Park, Funland Amusements, and astronomy nights).

WE SERVED A RECORD NUMBER OF STEM EXPLORERS

The STEM Academy served 259 STEM Explorers through publicly offered modules, after-school and in-school programming, and custom programs (Aerospace Day with Naval Sea Cadets, Harriet Tubman STEM Connections, Cubes in Space, etc.).

WE OPENED UP OPPORTUNITIES FOR DESERVING YOUTH

Thanks to generous donations from partners like the Bahethi Family Foundation, we provided 35 scholarships to deserving local youth to Space Adventure Camp. The Bahethi Family Foundation donated $25,000 to send 20 local students to Space Adventure Camp on full scholarships!

WE EXPERIENCED A LAUNCH UP CLOSE

Our Space Adventure Campers experienced an Antares launch from a VIP viewing area two miles from the launch pad! This was the first time an Antares launch to resupply the ISS coincided with camp. It was also the final launch of the Antares 230 block, as Northrop Grumman and Firefly Aerospace are now developing a new iteration with expanded capabilities.

WE LAUNCHED OUR STORIES OF IMPACT SERIES

We have been connecting with alumni and sharing their stories of how our programming has impacted and continues to impact their lives and careers. These short clips can be found on our YouTube channel.

WE LAUNCHED OUR MEET THE STEM EXPERTS SERIES

We have been working to create a series of recorded live question-and-answer sessions with those currently working in various STEM careers. Our alumni are invited to attend these sessions and ask their questions directly or submit them if they cannot attend. The recordings and sessions are only available to recent Space Adventure Camp and STEM Academy alumni.

We are amazed by the impact of our programming this anniversary year with the support of our partners and generous donors. We remain excited for the adventures ahead of us in 2024.