AvKids, a program to encourage school children to pursue careers in business aviation, is being launched by NBAA here in Atlanta. Five teachers from Oceola Magnet School in Vero Beach, Fla., a launch school for the program, were introduced Tuesday morning at the media breakfast.

Project coordinator Cassandra Bosco said when elementary-school children were asked to draw pictures of aviation activities, there were balloons and military and commercial aircraft but never any representation of business aviation.

AvKids, which is still being formulated, will offer lesson plans and other materials to teachers in grades two through five with the mission of educating children about the benefits of business aviation to the nation and the career opportunities available to them in the industry.

Activities will include such items as a log book and paper airplanes to help them learn about math, science and other subjects including language arts. Teacher conferences will provide educators with the materials they need to formulate lesson plans.

Bosco said the program should be running by next spring. There is a web site at www.avkids.com which now provides a "teachers lounge" from which teachers can review and download lesson plans, classroom activities, reading lists and resource materials.

A "kid's hangar" provides games and activities such as word finds, crossword puzzles and coloring sheets to compliment the activities package. Also being developed is a speakers' center, resource center and other programs.

Bosco said as the program was being conceived, teachers were queried as to what would best get their attention. They said activity formats would be best because they would help the teacher plan lessons for the day's activities.

She said the program grew out of an interest expressed by NBAA's Associate Members Advisory Council. Jim Waugh, FlightSafety International aviation education coordinator, and Dan Izard of Aviation Association Underwriters, an AMAC member, were instrumental in launching the program.