+----------------------------+------------------+---+-------------------+
| National Park Service      | Tuskegee Airmen  |   | 1616 Chappie      |
|                            |                  |   | James Avenue      |
| U.S. Department of the     | National         |   |                   |
| Interior                   | Historic Site    |   | Tuskegee, AL      |
|                            |                  |   | 36083             |
|                            | Use the complete |   |                   |
|                            | site name here   |   | 334-724-0922      |
|                            | (e.g. Palo Alto  |   | phone             |
|                            | Battlefield      |   |                   |
|                            | Historic Site).  |   | 334-724-0952 fax  |
+----------------------------+------------------+---+-------------------+

![](media/image1.png){width="0.5597222222222222in"
height="0.7201388888888889in"}

**Tuskegee Airmen NHS** News Release

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Use a "short-hand" version of the site name here (e.g. Palo Alto
  Battlefield not Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Site).

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

February 14, 2007

For Immediate Release

Christine Biggers 334-724-0922

**TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS**

**LEARN METEOROLOGY**

Tuskegee Institute Middle School students recently visited the Tuskegee
Airmen National Historic Site as part of a \$15,000 grant from the
National Park Foundation's (NPF) African American Experience Fund
(AAEF). The grant is called the Milton Hopkins Jr. Meteorologist
Program, named in honor of a Tuskegee Airmen Meteorologist who passed
away in March 2006. In lieu of flowers, Mr. Hopkins' widow requested
donations be sent to the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site. The
purpose of the grant is to allow 7^th^ grade students to learn a
combination of Meteorology and a bit of Tuskegee Airmen history while
working to strengthen their skills in reading, math, and science. The
grant also encourages the students to explore various career options in
weather related fields.

National Park Service staff is providing the Tuskegee Airmen history
component and Dr. Vascar Harris of Tuskegee University is taking care of
the Meteorology aspect. Mr. James Jackson, the teacher-partner is
providing classroom assignments designed to support the grant program.

During the course of the program weather readings will be taken by the
students and Park Service staff at different locations in the city. The
readings will be compared with one another and with weather readings
taken by Dr. George W. Carver and the Tuskegee Airmen. The effects of
global warming and the greenhouse effect on the weather will also be
discussed. Comments by the students indicate that they recognize this as
a serious issue. A visit to the National Weather Service or Maxwell Air
Force Base Weather Station is also planned.

The NPF is a non-profit organization dedicated to raise funds for the
over 390 National Parks throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and
Guam. The African American Experience Fund specifically raises funds for
the over 20 National Parks that highlight the African American
experience. United Parcel Service and Bank of America are the AAEF
sponsors for this grant which offered parks an opportunity to compete
for funding for projects that encourage increased volunteerism in the
National Parks.

-NPS-