PPG Industries Foundation Awards Grant to AHP

PPG Industries Foundation has awarded a $10,000 Advancing STEM Education grant to Aviation Heritage Park. This grant provides funding for the CAF Red Tail Squadron’s traveling exhibit, Rise Above, about the Tuskegee Airmen. The exhibit will be located in the Sears parking lot of the Greenwood Mall and open to the public free of charge Wednesday and Thursday June 12-13 from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM and Friday, June 14 from 9:00 AM to Noon.

Aviation Heritage Park has partnered with the Warren County Public Library to present a two day summer camp for children ages 7-11 titled Air & Space Camp. Campers explore amazing aircraft, interact with esteemed professionals in the field, participate in fun hands-on STEM and aeronautics based activities, and have the opportunity to visit the Red Tail Squadron’s traveling exhibit, Rise Above, at the conclusion of the camp.

“A big part of the motivation to bring the exhibit to Bowling Green was the educational opportunity it presented for our students,” said Joe Tinius, AHP board president. “We are thrilled to be able to offer this experience to the Air & Space campers, as well as students from other summer programs, and the general public, thanks to PPG.”

The Rise Above exhibit tackles the struggles the Tuskegee Airmen faced in order to become some of the fiercest fighter pilots in the US military during WWII. Woven throughout the exhibit is the Red Tails’ six guiding principles – Aim High, Believe In Yourself, Use Your Brain, Be Ready To Go, Never Quit, and Expect to Win. These guiding principles were developed alongside Tuskegee Airmen to inspire students to rise above their own obstacles.

The exhibit includes a 160 degree panoramic theater showing a short film chronicling the struggles and combat experiences of the Tuskegee Airmen. The style of screen immerses the viewer to give the feeling of soaring the sky in a P-51 Mustang.

Rise Above is presented by Aviation Heritage Park in partnership with The Bowling Green African American Museum.