Seminole County schools partner with Space Florida to launch aerospace program

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Seminole County students are getting a head start on some of Florida’s fastest-growing careers, thanks to a new partnership with Space Florida.

The Space Florida Academy Program is rolling out across all nine high schools in the district. The idea is to give students real-world skills and industry certifications while they are still in school, so they graduate ready for both college and the workforce.

Space Florida, the state’s aerospace economic development agency, backs the program to help students focus on fields tied directly to the aerospace industry, including aviation, advanced manufacturing, construction, cybersecurity, logistics, and semiconductors.

For Lyman High School sophomore Isaac Schroeder, the program is more than just another class on his schedule; it’s a chance to see what his future could look like.

“I feel good about it. The space program is fun. You know, I try my best in our class. We do a lot of interactive activities and stuff. Yeah, I actually do like it,” Schroeder said. 

Schroeder says he’s been interested in engineering since middle school, and programs like this make him feel like he’s moving in the right direction.

“It will help me get into a school with engineering in it, because that’s honestly what I’m trying to do; get into college with engineering classes and stuff,” he said. 

Inside the classroom, students are not just sitting at desks. They are working on projects like rockets, rovers, and gliders. That’s what aerospace teacher Mary Acken says makes this program stand out.

“It’s going to give a lot of industry partnerships with our students and give them a lot of opportunity to get internships, to understand the workings and the management of different aerospace projects,” Acken said. 

She’s been teaching aerospace at Lyman High School for years and says her students are learning skills that even surprise people already working in the industry. She said the partnership with Space Florida takes that work further by giving students clearer pathways into real careers.

And for students like Schroeder, the benefit goes beyond textbooks or test scores. He says the best part is the classmates who share his interests and teachers who push him to think bigger.

“Honestly, the people that I get to meet and the teachers. The teachers are the best. Ms. Acken, Mr. Moran, hands down, the teachers are probably the best,” he said.

For Schroeder, it’s motivation. He’s still considering whether to go into civil engineering or aerospace, but the program is giving him a foundation to build on and the confidence that he’s on the right track.