HUNTSVILLE, AL – The PPG Industries Foundation has donated $15,000 to the U.S. SPACE & ROCKET CENTER® (USSRC) Foundation in Huntsville, AL, for sponsorship of a team and a special week in the AVIATION CHALLENGE® Camp at the center. PPG Industries’ aerospace business operates a facility in Huntsville and has donated coatings used in several USSRC aircraft-restoration projects.
“We are very grateful for PPG’s continued support of our Aviation Challenge program, both through the foundation’s funding and the employees volunteering their time,” said Dr. Deborah Barnhart, USSRC CEO and Executive Director. “With this grant and their involvement, we can continue reinforcing our message that science, technology, engineering and mathematics education prepares students for interesting and rewarding corporate jobs.”
The weeklong Aviation Challenge camp offers trainees ages 9 to 18 from around the globe fun, teamwork and leadership experience in a structured, military-style program that helps prepare the next generation of fighter pilots. This year’s PPG Industries Foundation grant, which follows a $10,000 grant in 2014, funds sponsorship of a team of Aviation Challenge camp trainees along with a special “PPG Week” of camp. Every week of camp, a new PPG team of trainees competes against teams sponsored by other Huntsville-area industry leaders, and during PPG Week, employees of PPG’s local aerospace plant visited USSRC to discuss careers in technology-related fields and to participate in camp activities.
“This is a great opportunity for PPG employees to volunteer at USSRC and to interact personally with Aviation Challenge camp attendees,” said Tom Meyer, PPG plant manager at the Huntsville aerospace facility. “The camp helps kids build skills they’ll need to succeed in technology-related careers in aviation and aerospace, such as science and math knowledge, leadership, teamwork and problem-solving, all of which we seek in employees at PPG.”
