2025 SOAR into STEM Fall Session 3: Engineering

By Carmelo Turdo

High school students from the St. Louis area participated in the third of four fall sessions of the Wings of Hope SOAR Into STEM Program on Saturday. SOAR Into STEM provides opportunities to apply science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills in the context of the Wings of Hope humanitarian aviation mission. Topics covered include Airplane Basics, Mechanics and Engineering, Navigation and Communication and Drone/Flight Opportunities.

In Session Three, led by Wings of Hope Education Programs Manager Lee Ann Nolte and a team of volunteer mentors, the students were introduced to engineering concepts that build upon the knowledge gained from the previous sessions. The first activity was a review of the previous week's navigation and communication concepts, including the essentials of the U.S. Airspace System, aircraft instruments and proper communication between aircraft and Air Traffic Control. Students also honed their passing skills by tossing the "flying microphone cube" to each other as they answered questions. 

The main activity on the engineering topic was the installation of an electrical system on a foam aircraft cutout. One objective was to mount a circuit to the aircraft so that two electric motors would run their propellers powered by a battery pack with a switch. Another objective was to add a circuit running navigation lights on the wingtips and tail controlled by a second switch off the same battery pack. Student teams worked on this project throughout the session.

The session's guest speaker was Juan Cajigas, MQ-25 Chief Engineer at the Boeing Company in St. Louis. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and has risen through the engineering and management ranks at Boeing over the last eleven years. His experience in propulsion technology and uncrewed aerial systems has led him to his current position leading design and testing of the MQ-25 program. 

Also known as the Stingray. the MQ-25 is poised to be the U.S. Navy's first production uncrewed aerial vehicle to operate from an aircraft carrier. The Stingray's principal mission is autonomous aerial refueling of naval combat aircraft, replacing the Super Hornet buddy refueling tankers and returning those aircraft to their primary strike-fighter role. Future missions may also include surveillance and intelligence gathering. 

The MQ-25 will be manufactured at a new facility located at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport adjacent to Scott AFB in Mascoutah, IL. The first production MQ-25 is scheduled to fly in December.       

Before the end of the session, the students gathered in small groups to meet with their STEM mentors for a debrief and discussion of various topics, including higher education options and aviation career opportunities. These informal small group discussions provide a positive and affirming way to conclude each session. Also featured here is the group photo taken during the lunch break.