With approximately 3,300 students attending the 2026 Oceana Naval Air Show, the event gave Old Dominion University’s Center for Educational Innovation and Opportunity (CEIO) an opportunity to introduce young learners and their families to hands-on STEM activities and the ODU Lab School Network.
On Friday, September 18, students visiting the CEIO booth used Snap Circuits and other interactive materials to build, test, and explore. The activities encouraged them to ask questions, experiment with new ideas, and discover what they could create, offering a glimpse into the type of learning taking place throughout the ODU Lab School Network.
ODU Lab School students do more than learn about concepts. They apply what they learn, solve real-world problems, collaborate with others, and begin envisioning how their interests can lead to future educational and career pathways. Through partnerships among K–12 schools, higher education, industry, and community organizations, the Lab Schools bring real-world expertise into education and create experiences that build students’ creativity, confidence, and skills.
The air show also provided a meaningful setting to highlight the Aerospace Academy of the Eastern Shore (AAES), one of four ODU-led College Partnership Lab Schools. AAES operates through a partnership among Old Dominion University, Accomack County Public Schools, Northampton County Public Schools, and Eastern Shore Community College. Through aerospace-focused learning and connections with higher education and industry partners, AAES helps students explore engineering, technology, and career opportunities connected to Virginia’s growing aerospace sector.
Throughout the event, CEIO shared resources about the ODU Lab Schools and connected with educators, families, and organizations interested in future collaboration.
CEIO’s presence at the Oceana Naval Air Show was about more than attending a community event. It was an opportunity to meet students where curiosity was already taking flight and show them how innovative K–12 learning experiences can help turn that curiosity into future possibilities.
Thank you to Stephen Croffie and Mutiu Azeez for attending the event and representing the ODU Center for Educational Innovation and Opportunity.
