WEATHERSFIELD — Mineral Ridge High School students are being introduced to drones as part of a new entrepreneur program and also a drone racing class.

Technology teacher Sam Amoline said the new drone entrepreneur program called “Drones and Apprenticeship” — made possible as a pilot program through a grant awarded to the Trumbull County Educational Service Center — combines drone flying with learning to program the drones as well as entrepreneur skills.

“The students are learning about business leadership and also how to code and use drones. The entrepreneur and leadership ideas are prepping them for the workforce in the future and drones are integrated as a part of that,” Amoline said.

Amoline, who had training to instruct the drone program, said for the first year, there are 10 juniors and seniors in the program, with students earning an elective credit by taking the class. They get to use five drones.

He said the students also are preparing for an apprenticeship with Howmet Aerospace, which is sponsoring the program. Company officials will come to the school to meet with the students and interview them while also seeing the program and how it is preparing them.

“The students could receive potential offerings for internships with the company. I want the students to learn basic coding and also learn skills for future careers and leadership skills they can take into college,” Amoline said.

In the course, students will be able to experience hands-on building, programming, flying and repairing drones. Students also will learn what it takes to create a business and prepare that business for real life applications.

Students will learn through multiple online resources such as the Locodrone curriculum and Junior Achievement’s Entrepreneurial mindset program. Students will learn valuable leadership skills while collaborating with peers on coding, engineering and mechanics, Amoline said.

Completing this course will enable students to earn up to 12 industry recognized credential points and a technology seal. It also will allow students an opportunity to prepare, study and pass their Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification to be able to fly drones commercially.

Other high schools with drone programs include Southington, Warren G. Harding, Brookfield, LaBrae and McDonald.

WHAT STUDENTS SAY

Students Briaunna Wilson and Dominic Gutierrez, both juniors in the drone entrepreneur program, said they signed up for the program to learn to program and fly drones, noting coding is the most challenging part of the program.

“I’m looking to see if this could be a future career opportunity. Learning to fly the drone is very interesting,” Gutierrez said.

He said you have to put the time into programming drones to get them to fly and do what you want them to do.

“We had to learn to fly the drone through the doorway and out into the hallway. Those were both fun,'” Wilson said.

Amoline also instructs a second course on racing drones that started last school year as a semester class that allowed students in ninth to 12h grades to compete in local drone racing competitions, which started as an after-school activity.

He said this school year there is a full-year course with 24 students learning to repair and operate drones and do custom 3D printing work in creating drones.

“The competition is incredible because it not only teaches them to fly a racing drone, but also learn about the preparation before the competition. Some students have really mastered the use of the controls. They create a portfolio of all the hardships they had when making and programming the drones. They work on marketing and branding for the teams. They gain skills in teamwork and collaboration in keeping the drone operating,” Amoline said.

He said there are three teams that will be competing.

“I am impressed that students are mastering flying so quickly. They wear special goggles to actually see what the drone is seeing,” Amoline said.

ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT

High School Principal Joe Stevens and Superintendent Damon Dohar focus on keeping the schools current with technology needs and programs.

“They wanted to offer cutting edge programs that teach students skills that are needed for the future. Drones are evolving each year and in the future,” Amoline said.

“When they (TCESC) said the drone entrepreneurship program was out there, this was an opportunity I wanted to make sure our students had,” Stevens said.

He said the district administration is always looking for new ways to engage the students and improve their education,

Stevens said the district also offers an esports class with a team that competes after school. There also is a 3D printing class.