Skip to main content
Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters
Main Content

Capt. Angelymar Sanchez, a former cadet and a private pilot, shares her love of the STEM field

Posted on February 25, 2020 at 3:30 PM by Virginia Smith

 
Capt. Angelymar Sanchez of the Puerto Rico Wing joined Civil Air Patrol as a cadet and now serves as an Aerospace Education Officer.

February 25, 2020

Meet Capt. Angelymar Sanchez, aerospace education officer (AEO) for Muñiz Air National Guard Base Cadet Squadron in the Puerto Rico Wing, the unit she has belonged to since she was a cadet. She also works in aerospace education at the wing level. We asked her some questions regarding her involvement in aerospace/STEM education and in Civil Air Patrol. We asked her to provide answers in both English and Spanish, and those responses are below. If you would like to be featured in an upcoming AEO Story or know of someone who would be a great feature, please email ae@capnhq.gov

Tell us about yourself: your name, duty positions, and unit name:

  • My full name is Angelymar Sánchez Del Valle, I am currently the Aerospace Education Officer of the unit I have belonged to since I was a cadet, Muñiz Air National Guard Base Cadet Squadron (SER-PR-126), and the Puerto Rico Wing Internal Aerospace Education Officer.
  • Mi nombre completo es Angelymar Sánchez Del Valle. Actualmente soy la Oficial de Educación Aeroespacial en la unidad a la que pertenezco desde que soy cadete, Muñiz Air National Guard Base Cadet Squadron (SER-PR-126), y también soy la Oficial Interna de Educación Aeroespacial en el Ala de Puerto Rico.

List any awards you have won that you would like to mention:

  • My greatest achievements were receiving the Continental Motor Group Flight Scholarship, with which I became a private pilot, and being presented with the 2019 Civil Air Patrol Frank G. Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award in the cadet category.
  • My logros más grandes han sido la beca de vuelo Continental Motor Group, con la que me hice piloto privado, y el premio nacional en categoría de cadete llamado 2019 Civil Air Patrol Frank G. Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award.

How many years have you been in Civil Air Patrol?

  • I have been in CAP for 4 years
  • Llevo en la Patrulla Aérea Civil 4 años.

How did you get involved in Civil Air Patrol?

  • I was looking for a job, which a teacher recommended, near the airport. While there, I was given the phone number of the person who would change my life and make me into a true leader, Lt. Col Ismael Rodriguez, CAP.
  • Estaba buscando un trabajo, que un maestro me recomendó, cerca del aeropuerto. Estando allá me dieron el número de la persona que cambiaría mi vida y haría de mi una verdadera líder, Lt Col Ismael Rodriguez, CAP.

Why do you serve in the Aerospace Education mission area?

  • Some people say I am a nerd, and that may be partially true. But the excitement I feel in the STEM field needed to be shared. As an engineering student, I can’t resist teaching STEM topics.
  • Algunos dicen que soy nerd y puede que estén parcialmente en lo correcto. Pero la emoción que siento con el campo de STEM debe ser compartido. Como estudiante de ingeniería, no me puedo resistir a enseñar temas en STEM.

What is the best advice you have for working with cadets?  Sanchez quotes the familiar educators’ saying that reinforces the importance of experiential learning: “I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand.”

Additional advice:

  • Delegating aerospace activities to cadets, hands-on activities, and including pictures in theory presentations are some good ways to keep them engaged.
  • Delegar actividades a los cadetes, hacer actividades manuales e incluir fotos en las presentaciones de teorías son buenas herramientas para mantenerlos interesados y enfocados.

Do you have any suggestions for how to conduct outreach in schools (working with students and recruiting AEMs)? 

  • Organize a schedule with the aerospace activities and invite the teacher to see the squadron working
  • Have a cadet, preferably, to share their experience in the program and have them lead a small aerospace lesson. This will not only demonstrate part of the aerospace curriculum, but they will see leadership and confidence developed by the cadet in the program.
  • Keep yourself available and reachable
  • Organizar una agenda con actividades e invitar al maestro para que vea el escuadrón trabajando

  • Un cadete puede compartir su experiencia en el programa y estar a cargo de una lección sencilla de aeroespacial. Esto no sólo demostrará parte del currículo de educación aeroespacial, sino que verán el liderazgo y la confianza desarrollada por el cadete.

  • Mantente abierto y disponible

 

Please tell an anecdote of a rewarding experience working with cadets and/or students:

  • Arriving home tired after a whole day of working with CAP and receiving a simple message from a cadet saying, “Thank You for your work” and “you are an inspiration to me” have been the most pleasant experiences I have had.  Servant leadership is the most honorable and respected leadership philosophy. Therefore, serving and seeing their excitement, curiosity, enthusiasm is very rewarding. It is our paycheck
  • Llegar cansado a la casa luego de un día de trabajo del escuadrón y recibir un mensaje sencillo de parte de un cadete diciendo “Gracias por su trabajo” y “eres una inspiración para mí” ha sido de las experiencias más agradables que he tenido. El liderazgo de servidumbre es la filosofía más honorable y respetada. Por eso, servirles y ver en sus caras la emoción, curiosidad e ilusión, es muy gratificante.

Is there anything else we didn't ask that you’d like to say for this AEO Story?

  • We play an essential role in our cadets' lives. Let’s make it count!
  • Jugamos un papel esencial en la vida de nuestros cadetes. ¡Hagamos que cuente!
© 2024 Civil Air Patrol. All rights reserved.