Avis Aqua – Issue V
ISSUE V
DAVIS A&M / ARGONAUT NEWS
March 2026
ALL HANDS ON DECK
Davis students had the opportunity to showcase our Drone Soccer Team at the Cleveland Charge game during halftime.
Navigating New Opportunities
As we begin a new year at Davis A&M, we open the door to fresh possibilities—on land, at sea, and in the air. Our students are stepping outside their comfort zones, trying new things, and embracing experiences that will shape their futures. With the addition of new boats and aircraft added to the Argonaut fleet, students have even more ways to explore, learn, and grow.
This year also brings exciting new ventures, including the official launch of our drone soccer program and participation in the STEM Playbook series, including the Score with STEM Cleveland Cavaliers program. Meanwhile, robotics Team 8222 is already deep into another competitive season, and our Fab Lab students are transforming thrifted materials into one-of-a-kind furniture through upcycling.
As the year moves forward, we continue to challenge our students to take initiative, explore their interests, and make the most of every experience. In this issue, you’ll follow their journeys and see the creativity, innovation, and excitement happening every day at Davis A&M.
ON THE HORIZON
UPCOMING EVENTS
Upcoming events this season will highlight student learning and community engagement. Stay tuned for dates and details.
Upcoming Fab Lab Events
Cleveland Guardians STEM Days – Progressive Field
April 28th 2026 10:00am – 12:30pm
May 12th 2026 10:00am – 12:30pm
Upcoming Robotics Events
2026 Miami Valley Regional
April 1st – 4th, 8:30am – 5:00pm
2026 FRC New York Tech Valley Regional (8222 will compete here)
April 15th – 18th, 8:30am – 5:00pm
Upcoming Spring Events
MRO Conference
April 21-23, 2026
U.S. Drone Soccer National Championship
May 18-19 2026
Upcoming Spring Events
Davis Award Show
April 30th (Time TBA)
Davis A&M Senior Prom
May 8th (Time TBA)
Davis A&M Graduation
May 23rd (Time TBA)
THE DISPATCH
Your hub for everything happening at Davis and Argonaut.
Davis Skate Club Hosts Art Show Fundraiser
On March 13th, the Davis Skate Club held a fundraiser at Westside Skates in Lakewood, bringing together skate culture, art, and community for an unforgettable evening.
The event featured an art show and auction with one-of-a-kind pieces created by local skaters and artists. Guests had the chance to bid on original works, including custom skateboard decks, while also supporting the club through the purchase of T-shirts and hats.
More than just a fundraiser, the night highlighted the creativity and connection within the local skate scene. It was an awesome evening that showcased both the talent and strong community behind the Davis Skate Club.
ARGONaUT takes on ST. PATRICK’S DAY
Braving cold, snow, and windy weather, Argonaut and a team of Davis A&M students came together to participate in the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. The students decorated Argonaut’s new PHASTAR airboat with Argonaut’s flags and other St. Patrick’s Day decorations. Despite the weather, it was a great day for the students, spectators, and all involved with the parade.
ARGONAUT EXPANDS FLEET WITH AIRBOAT AND AIRCRAFT FLEET ACQUISITIONS
Argonaut is growing its fleet with two exciting new additions that will expand student learning and real-world training opportunities.
The program recently acquired a nearly new 24-foot PHASTAR Airboat, built by 1000 Island Airboats and purchased from the Alaska State Troopers. Designed to operate on water, ice, and flooded terrain, the airboat opens the door for year-round, on-water programming and enhances PHASTAR 2543’s rescue capabilities.
Staff completed specialized training during a 1,200-mile trip to retrieve the vessel, and Argonaut is currently developing partnerships with local agencies to support emergency response efforts. The airboat has already made its public debut in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade with students onboard.
In addition, Argonaut has acquired a 1975 Piper PA-28-151 Warrior that has not been flown since 1990. Students pursuing careers as aircraft technicians will restore the plane to airworthy condition alongside a licensed technician and inspector. After initial flight hours, the aircraft will be upgraded with modern avionics before joining the fleet as a training aircraft for future pilots. It will also be maintained by student technicians as part of their hands-on learning.
Updates will be shared as both projects continue to develop in the coming months.
THE STUDENT SECTION
From the classroom to the community – students making their mark.
YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES UNLIMITED SUMMER EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM
Summer internship positions are filling up fast! Over 30 students have been recommended for summer positions through SYEP, in partnership with Argonaut and others. There are still great openings available, including our summer dock program, for Davis Aerospace & Maritime High School students to apply for!
YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES UNLIMITED SUMMER EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM
Milestone for the Class of ’26
We’re thrilled to announce that the Class of ’26 is on track to graduate in late April.
All six students have been offered jobs at their current internship sites! While these talented young people have chosen to pursue higher education at their colleges of choice, their employers are stepping up to support them by offering summer and/or part-time work that fits around their school schedules.
It’s a wonderful example of our partners investing in the futures of our Davis students beyond the program, ensuring that the relationships and opportunities built through ECEC continue to grow long after graduation.
Student Spotlight: Edwin Romero
We also want to take a moment to spotlight one of our Class of ’26 standouts — Edwin Romero. Since joining the program, Edwin’s growth has been nothing short of remarkable. He has blossomed into a more confident, self-assured young man who isn’t afraid to take on new responsibilities and step up as a leader among his peers.
In addition, Edwin took the initiative to get involved with the ECEC student body and earned the role of Chairperson — a testament to the incredible young leader he is becoming. We are so proud of you, Edwin!
Class of ‘27 is Taking Off
Looking ahead, the ECEC Class of ’27 is off to a great start! All seven students are actively engaged in the program, focusing on sharpening their professional communication and hands-on technical training. By summer, we’re hoping to have all seven polished and interview-ready, with jobs lined up. The future is bright for this group, and we’re excited for what’s in store for these incredible young people!
Davis Four Set Sail With Interlake Steamship
A very special congratulations to our four students who have been accepted into the Interlake Steamship Company’s “60 Days at Sea” internship program. Interns will ship out in May aboard two vessels in Interlake’s fleet, gaining invaluable, hands-on maritime experience.
These incredible opportunities are a testament to the bright futures ahead for our students, and we couldn’t be prouder. Big things are happening — stay tuned for more updates!
REMIXING ROMEO AND JULIET: ENGLISH LITERATURE A9’S LATEST HITS
The Davis ELA9 class is currently reading Romeo and Juliet. As part of the 9th graders’ exploration of William Shakespeare’s classic love story, students are crafting ads advertising love and curating themed playlists as they deepen their understanding of the play. Below are two examples from Dontiez Pendergrass (Love Ad) and Rod’Shad Gilcrease (Playlist).
Dontiez Pendergrass (Love Ad)
ROD’SHAD GILCREASE (PLAYLIST)
PROGRAMMING UPDATES
Growth and consistency. Two words that are at the forefront of my reflections of the school year as we prepare to close out in May. This year has been filled with meaningful learning, connections, curiosity, enthusiasm, creative exploration and social development. Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School students were met with consistent programming in aviation, maritime, and engineering which helped many students build confidence in their schoolwork, participate in a wide range of enrichment activities and encouraged creativity, collaboration and problem solving skills. One of the highlights of the year was seeing students form stronger friendships and develop a sense of community in a year of overcoming challenges.
Today, we celebrate many milestones like the development of the United States Drone Soccer team at Davis A&M which secured their spot in the championships being hosted at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University after a second place win in Dayton, Ohio in March. The team of six students, led by Argonauts Partner Relations Manager, Devon Sheehy, has worked hard and practiced for many hours preparing for the competition. Their drive and determination shows that when Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School students are presented with an opportunity, they take it and run with it and make it their own.
Another milestone to celebrate is the growth of the Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School skate club led by Mr. Shaheen, Davis A&M History Teacher. Started just a short two years ago, the skate club started off as a program for students to learn how to skateboard outside of the school but has since grown into a community supported by local small businesses and organizations that run summer programming teaching kids and adults how to skateboard and even build them.
As I type my letter to you, we have three graduating seniors down at Burke Lakefront Airport working with Argonauts Certified Flight Instructor, Ioannis Giagtzoglou, making repairs to our 1976 Piper Cherokee PA28-140 and performing a complete overhaul of the aircraft interior. This is just the beginning of the Airframe and Powerplant program Argonaut is developing for Davis A&M. Soon, Davis students will be able to perform maintenance on the additional aircraft that Argonaut is preparing to purchase.
In addition, 50 students have obtained an OBEC license, 65 (and counting) students are enrolled in a summer internship this season, 73 students have been served in Argonauts afterschool programming, 2 students have been enrolled in our pilot training program, 1 teacher has been enrolled in our pilot training program, and so much more.
In the coming school year, we look forward to continuing this work when the Cleveland High School of Digital Arts merges with Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School. With the merger, our mission remains, to serve all Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School students and continue to build opportunities that provide a foundation of success for their journey after high school. Argonaut will continue to grow our operations and team to meet the needs of the Davis A&M students and community. We’ve begun by growing our fleet to support the yearlong programming Argonaut provides. Argonaut is meeting with our partners and building comprehensive workforce development opportunities for all grade levels. We continue to grow our presence in the air at Burke Lakefront Airport and in the lake and rivers of Cleveland.
To cap the year, we will celebrate the 6th graduating class of Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School on May 23rd at the Jacobs Pavilion. This will mark the new generation of manufacturers, engineers, pilots, mariners and more. Please help us in congratulating the Class of 2026.
With continued adventures and exploration,
Tim Hatfield, Director of Programming and Thematic Learning
Innovation in Action: Inside the Robotics Program
Governor Dewine and First Lady Dewine Visit MAGNET
Governor Dewine and Ohio’s First Lady, Mrs. Dewine, visited MAGNET (The Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network) earlier this year to hear about the important work taking place in Greater Cleveland that supports local manufacturers.
The Robotics team from Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School and East Technical High School had the opportunity to talk about the Cleveland FIRST Robotics initiative and how building robots has impacted the students’ lives.
FIRST Robotics Competition:
Team 8222 competed at The Buckeye Regional, hosted at the Cleveland State University Wolstein Center this past March. Rebuilt, the name and theme of this year’s game, challenged all teams to build a 115lbs industrial sized robot to be able to project multiple 5.9″ diameter balls called fuel and hand from a tower of up to 5′ tall. The Argonauts accepted the challenge and answered the call with their robot named Dale. The machine is a short robot with a maximum height of 30″ and can hold up to 52 fuel in its extendable hopper. With its black, silver and blue color scheme, it is a mighty machine that can take a hit and score fuel.
The team did not place where they wanted but they won in other aspects. The team of 16 were able to problem solve using critical thinking skills and keep the machine up and running on the field. Their team spirit shined through and their Davis pride was contagious with the entire student section cheering their home team on.
The team has another competition coming up from April 15th – April 18th at the New York Tech Valley Regional in Albany, New York.
Hands Across Borders
In 2021, two Davis students got together and developed a community service project that would provide 3-D printed prosthetic arms and hands to kids in Cleveland. After a few prototypes and displaying their design at a local STEM festival in 2022, the project gained traction with the Great Lakes Science Center and MEDAccess and turned into a global community service project providing over 60 prosthetic arms and hands. Last summer, Davis students traveled to Latacunga, Ecuador for an 11 day medical mission with the Great Lakes Science Center and MEDAccess International and it was a huge success.
This summer, 5 Davis students were invited back to another medical mission in Ibarra, Ecuador for 11 days and will be delivering more prosthetics arms and hands to kids and adults in need. This trip would not be possible without the partnership of the Great Lakes Science Center and MEDAccess International and we are happy to continue our work with their support.
Davis Students Dive Into Skills, Careers, and Summer Opportunities
Davis Students Dive into Newly Launched Swim Club
At Davis, we believe every student should be equipped with the skills to be comfortable with and in the water. This year, with this goal in mind, we’ve launched the Davis Swim Club. Club members meet up to four days a week to practice and perfect their swimming skills.
Hosted at the Cleveland State University Aquatic Center, students practice distance swimming and the ability to dive and retrieve objects. Students participate in this club for a multitude of reasons, with some working to stay physically fit and others hoping to become a lifeguard.
Regardless of their reasons for joining, Argonaut is dedicated to providing this program to our students in the years to come.
Engaging with Experts at the Cleveland Boat Show
Despite the cold and snowy weather, our students still suited up and took part in the Cleveland Boat Show. Thanks to the fine people at the Ohio Marine Trades Association, our students engaged industry maritime experts in multiple fields across Northeast Ohio and participated in one-on-one conversations with marinas and shipbuilders to learn about career opportunities.
Set Sail for Exciting Summer Internship Opportunities with Davis!
Are you ready for summer?
Davis students have a unique opportunity to work on the water and put their skills to the test through several paid internship opportunities. Students can set aboard our vessels, Flotsam and Jetsam, to help clean the harbor, or join our Marine Safety Unit 2543 to gain experience with patrol and rescue.
If these opportunities sound exciting to you or a student you know, please contact the Argonaut Team.
Training Tomorrow’s Aviators
Cleared for Takeoff: Ground School Success
Davis Ground School students have finished another year. Congratulations to the head of class, Sam Vega, for passing the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) Private Pilot Knowledge exam, a critical step toward earning his Private Pilot License. Sam will start flight training as soon as the weather permits.
Argonaut’s Ground Team in Training
Keeping aircraft in top operating condition is just as valuable as learning to fly. Three of our students, Jonothan Aranda, Genesis Cruz, and Rafael Trinidad, have expressed interest in becoming aircraft mechanics. All three are working with Aviation Instructor Ioannis Giagtzoglou to upgrade engine instruments on the Argonaut Piper Cherokee.
As part of their work on Piper Cherokee, students are removing older analog mechanical devices and installing single-touchscreen instruments that display crucial information.
In addition, these students have learned to read and interpret aircraft maintenance, wiring, and mechanical manuals; build and install wiring harnesses to FAA standards; install the harnesses, program and test the new instruments; create proper maintenance log entries, update the aircraft’s weight and balance information; and file the necessary FAA documents for the upgrade— Important hands-on experience that will carry them into future careers.
This month, students have been upgrading the aircraft’s interior with new carpet, sidewalls, and seat cushions.Jonothan, Genesis, and Rafel have been accepted into Legacy Aviation Aircraft Maintenance School in Traverse City, MI, and will graduate with their FAA Airframe and Powerplant License by the end of summer 2027.
Eyes on the Sky: Latest Drone Program Updates
Eyes on the Sky: Latest Drone Program Updates
On March 3rd, NEOSTEM and the Cleveland Charge hosted a School Day event, drawing over 6,000 students for a dynamic day of learning and excitement. The students had the opportunity to witness the Charge’s impressive victory, while also diving into the world of STEM. While the event featured diverse educational experiences, from sneaker technology to the power systems behind the arena. A standout highlight was the spotlight on drones.
During the halftime show, students from Davis A&M dazzled the audience with a riveting live Drone Soccer performance. The drones zipped around the arena with agility and precision, enchanting the crowd. Our team members skillfully piloted their drones through a challenging aerial course, earning enthusiastic cheers and applause. This interactive showcase vividly demonstrated the thrilling possibilities within STEM education, igniting curiosity and inspiration among the young spectators. As the event wrapped up, the air buzzed with excitement, with many students eager to explore STEM-related activities and careers.
Drone Soccer Takes Second at District III
Regional Championship!
The Davis Drone Soccer team brought home second place at the District III Regional Championship, and we couldn’t be prouder!
For a first-ever formal outing, the team showed incredible effort, teamwork, and sportsmanship, proving they are a force to be reckoned with. Their impressive finish has earned them a well-deserved invitation to compete in Daytona Beach, FL, this May, and we can’t wait to cheer them on as they take on the next challenge.
Watch out, Daytona — the Davis Football Club is coming!
THE DEEPER DIVE
As I gather my thoughts for this edition of the Deeper Dive, I can still hear the rain and thunder outside my window. The storm that blew through began with ominous clouds, tornado sirens, and then the squall line. The rain, lightning, thunder, and wind were intense at times. Trees are down, and power is still out throughout the area. There was a brief pause after this first wave, then came a second, less intense wave of storms. The thunder and lightning were equally intense, but much less wind.
Now I sit and listen to the steady rain showers and thunder. The rain and scattered storms stretch from here to Chicago. These various storms will clear by morning, and the sun will rise over the freshly washed earth. The birds will resume their singing, and we will welcome warming temperatures and the signs of Spring.
At this moment, I appreciate the struggles we have faced at Davis A&M over the past 12 months. What began as signs of trouble gradually shifted to warning signals of an impending storm. With the December announcement of school consolidations and changes to our Davis A&M community, the squall line arrived. There have been and continue to be intense storm cells passing through. However, with the main threat past and preparations for the remaining scattered storms underway, we know we will weather this storm.
I look toward the horizon, knowing the sun will soon begin to rise. We will once again feel the warmth and recognize the beauty that surrounds us. The birds will take flight singing their songs, and the seas will calm. From this place, we will resume our journey, knowing that we have survived, grown stronger as a Davis A&M community, and can weather any storm that lies ahead.
– Captain Drew Ferguson
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