Team members from Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurstengagednearly 2,500families duringthe annual KidsWeek eventat the IntrepidMuseum inNew York City, held fromFeb. 13-16.
The Lakehurst activity encouraged children to construct paper airplanes using a variety of printed templates. With the team’s guidance, the children attached an "engine" made from a jumbo straw and a foam earplug taped to one end. After personalizing their creations with stickers, the children tested their designs by launching the planes across the deck toward a target using an air compressor.
The team from Lakehurst included E-2Dlogisticsmanagementspecialist Albert Martin,datamanager Annmarie Holler,Aviation Data Management and Control Systemcybersecurityengineer Diogo Cardoso, V-22logisticsmanagementspecialist Dominic Fargo,siteoperationsenvironmentallead Julia Kuzan, andhydraulicsDeputy Assistant Program Manager for LogisticsLauren Youngblood.
Throughout the activity, the team encouraged critical thinking by asking questions such as, "What part of the plane makes it glide through theair?” and"Why do we put an earplug on one end of thestraw?” Thesequestions helpedthechildren understand the engineering concepts behind each step of the process.
"The highlight of the weekend was not just building the planes or the kids' excitement with launching them,it was the modifications they came up with to see how fast and how far they could go,” Martinsaid.
The team emphasized the importance of combining fun with learning, ensuring the children understood the engineering principles behind the activity.
"Events like this allow us to inspire young kids to be passionate about STEM and remind me how passionate I am about STEM,” Kuzanadded.
For team memberslike Cardoso, this was not their first time attending the event, and they were excited to be back on the historic ship.
“It gives us a chance to talk to thepublicabout who we are, while simultaneously engaging in STEM activitieswiththe kids.It'sa great and rewarding feeling when theyaccomplishthe activity on their own and learn Naval aviation concepts they might not have known before!"
Holler recalleda particularly meaningful moment when a young visitor mentioned they hadparticipatedin the same activity the previous year.
“I was really taken by that. Moments like that emphasize the importance ofparticipatingin outreach programs,to be a spark for a student to want to learn more and try new things.It’sexciting to be a part of that experience," Holler said.
To further engage visitors, the teamshowcasedclips from “Top Gun:Maverick” featuringAircraft Launch and RecoveryEquipment andSupportEquipment developedby NAVAIR. This display helped explain their work topeoplewho asked questions about NAVAIR's mission.
Beyond working with the children, team members said they enjoyed meeting other attendees, including engineers from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, members of theUnited States Air ForceThunderbirds maintenance crew, and a parent whose father had worked on blimps at Lakehurst decades ago. These interactions allowed the team to connect with individuals familiar with Lakehurst’s mission while introducing it to others eager to learn more.
The Lakehurst team expressed gratitude for the opportunity toparticipatein the event. Events like STEM KidsWeek providea platform to share Lakehurst’s mission and engage with the community. Many visitors expressed interest in internships, job opportunities, and other outreach events.
TheKids Weekeventis just one of several examples of NAWCAD Lakehurst working with local school districts to increase student interest in STEM careers, includingthe[STARBASE program](https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/Lakehurst-team-members-use-STARBASE-program-boost-interest-STEM-young-students/Thu-07312025),[Camp Invention](https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/Camp-Invention-gives-local-students-chance-grow-STEM-knowledge/Wed-07172024-0932),[Kids Week](https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/Lakehurst-participates-Kids-Week-USS-Intrepid/Mon-03042024-1251)at the USS Intrepid, and the[SeaPerch](https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/SeaPerch-gives-hundreds-students-close-view-underwater-engineering/Thu-04182024-1143)regional competition.
| Date Taken: |
02.26.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
02.26.2026 14:16 |
| Story ID: |
558995 |
| Location: |
LAKEHURST, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: |
11 |
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This work, NAWCAD Lakehurst team inspires STEM enthusiasm at Intrepid Museum's Kids Week, by Adam Hochron, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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