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HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | SEPTEMBER 16, 2024 11 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19 Run, walk, volunteer or cheer at Connecticut's largest race day! Boosting local business, engaging communities and supporting charities since 1994. HartfordMarathon.com MARATHON /// HALF MARATHON /// TEAM 26.2 RELAY /// CHARITY 5K SEE YOU AT THE ARCH mission and briefing rooms, a plane- tarium and space lab. The initiative, Cleary said, aims to expose students to STEM careers and promote aerospace education, with support from local corporations and educational institutions. Still to be determined is where the Challenger Center will be located, museum officials said. They are in talks with leaders at Manchester Community College and Central Connecticut State University about possible site locations. The goal of all educational programs is to provide digital expo- sure to STEM careers, Abrams said. The museum, for example, offers programs like SOAR for STEM, which provides lessons on the principles of flight, aircraft restoration and digital experiences. The museum, which reported $2.55 million in revenue and a $ 740,428 deficit in fiscal 2023, also has dozens of engineering trades workers who volunteer their time restoring planes and machinery. The museum expan- sion will include an engine disas- sembly exhibit to educate visitors on manufacturing processes and career opportunities. Abrams said the museum is looking to establish an extension location at Barnes Airport in Westfield, Massa- chusetts, to host fly-ins and expand its reach. "We're shifting from just being a museum to really promoting economic development, job markets and underserved industries," Cleary said. Several lawmakers have expressed support for the expansion and state funding, including state Rep. Tami Zawistowski (R-East Granby), who said the museum is a state asset that attracts national and international visitors to north-central Connecticut. The museum has "increased opportunities for education and workforce development through hands-on programs for all age groups," Zawistowski said. "This provides potential career opportunities for participants and helps bolster interest in aerospace employment with our local manu- facturers," she added. "The muse- um's exciting expansion plans build on this momentum and have great potential for increased tourism, expanded educational offerings and will benefit our local communities and beyond." Inside a hangar at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, which features vintage aircraft, flight simulators and exhibits. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO EXHIBITS ON DISPLAY The New England Air Museum has various exhibits, including: • Tuskegee Airmen: Their Untold Story allows visitors to hear firsthand accounts of the pioneering Black aviators in World War II. • New England Women in Aviation highlights many of the female avia- tors and innovators in the early 20th century up to modern-day pilots and astronauts. • The Kosciuszko Squadron tells the tale of a Polish fighter squadron that flew outmoded planes, but achieved the highest kill rate and fewest casualties of any Allied air unit in World War II. • There's also a multimedia exhibit that goes inside the mind of the legendary Russian-American aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky.