Studies have shown that when students are excited about something, a window of opportunity opens in their educational journey. Drones are the perfect key to opening that window of opportunity. They provide an educational scenario that doesn’t feel like a typical lesson plan. Students working with drones in school have a chance to engage in all levels of STEM-based curricula. One school that has set the bar for how drones can be incorporated into a curriculum is the Warren County Technical School (WCTS) in Washington, NJ.

WCTS is a high school located adjacent to Warren County Community College (WCCC), which is widely considered to have one of the best postsecondary drone programs in the country. This proximity has made it possible for the technical and vocational high school to immerse itself in a rich drone educational program. The WCTS drone program, led by Mr. Sean McGeough, was developed with help from WCCC’s award-winning WarrenUAS center. Mr. McGeough offers drone classes geared specifically toward all four years of high school.

The freshman course focuses on drone basics and regulations. Sophomore students move on to the fundamentals of autonomous flight and programming. The junior and senior classes are combined to prepare students for life in the drone industry after graduation, getting ready for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Part 107 certification process. After only two years in operation, WCTS students enrolled in Mr. McGeough’s drone classes have already won prestigious drone competitions.

In March 2024, Mr. McGeough brought several students to the SkillsUSA Commercial sUAS (Drone) Competition. The statewide competition was held at Gloucester County Institute of Technology in Sewell, NJ. As stated in the competition’s brochure, the purpose of the event is to “evaluate team members’ skills and preparation for employment in multiple career fields related to the safe and efficient use of drone technology in the National Airspace System and to recognize outstanding performance by participants in real-world, scenario-based situations.”

The two-person teams competing had to learn multiple aspects of drone technology, not just how to fly them. They had to learn the principles of aerodynamics, understand drone regulations, know how to program and repair their devices, and navigate through complex environments. The students representing WCTS were seniors Grace Seijas and Elijah Lindner, who were awarded a gold medal, and juniors Dylan Schulze and Adrian Chan, who took home a bronze medal.

Grace, who has already earned her Part 107 certification, said it all came down to the support she and her teammate received from their teacher. “We spent a huge amount of time flying drones on a course made specifically to train us for the competition,” Grace said. “The classes in the engineering shop with Mr. McGeough were very informative. I could not have hoped for a teacher and program more involved in our success.” Winning the gold medal meant that Grace and Elijah were eligible to move on to the next level of the competition, which was held in Atlanta, GA.

Mr. McGeough could not have been prouder of his students. Taking them to the competition was a huge boost in confidence for the students and for himself, demonstrating that the drone program works. “These were very important steps for our students and this program,” Mr. McGeough said. “We’re clearly making strides when we see our students compete so well in an important competition while having access to this sort of training. Drones are going to be used in nearly every field, and these students are learning valuable skills that give them the foundation to step into these positions.”

WCTS’s drone program has found a way to tap into that window of opportunity, encouraging students to be excited about their education and their futures. “The fact that we now have the technology to fly in the air with just a little piece of metal and plastic is just amazing to me,” Adrian said. “I would like to turn it into a side career and eventually maybe develop my own company.” As Whitney Houston sang, “I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.” Implementing drones in a school curriculum is just one of the ways that educators are finding new and exciting methods to teach children so that they can one day lead the way.

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