LaunchOK

10/09/2026

Oklahoma's aerospace industry has a bright future, and building the workforce to support it starts in our classrooms.

Yesterday, LaunchOK CEO Sarah Guardiola joined education and industry leaders at the 2026 Oklahoma Aerospace Forum for a panel discussion on "Aerospace Workforce: Building the Region's Talent Pipeline."

The conversation focused on how Oklahoma schools, CareerTech programs, universities, and industry partners can work together to prepare students for opportunities in aerospace and aviation.

Sarah joined fellow panelists Tonja Norwood (Oklahoma CareerTech), Mandy Monahan (NORDAM), and Rodney Rogers (Tinker Air Force Base OC-ALC), with Paula Kedy (Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics) moderating.

LaunchOK's Valerie Phillips also attended, connecting with others who share our commitment to strengthening Oklahoma's aerospace workforce.

Another highlight of the forum was hearing from NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy Captain Victor J. Glover Jr., who piloted the historic Artemis II mission around the Moon earlier this year.

From Oklahoma classrooms to careers that reach beyond Earth, the opportunities ahead are extraordinary. Our job is to help students see those possibilities and prepare to pursue them.

10/08/2026

Reminder: Our CEO, Sarah Guardiola, will join the Oklahoma Aerospace Forum tomorrow for the “Aerospace Workforce: Building the Region’s Talent Pipeline” panel from 10:35 a.m.–11:50 a.m.

For additional information about the Oklahoma Aerospace Forum, including the full event schedule, visit: https://bit.ly/2026OKAeroForum

10/07/2026

"Oklahoma’s aerospace and defense industry generates $52.5 billion in annual economic activity and supports more than 250,000 jobs, according to a new study released by the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics."

As Oklahoma’s aerospace industry continues to grow, so does the need to build the workforce that will carry it forward. That’s where LaunchOK comes in, helping connect students with the education, experiences, and opportunities that can prepare them for careers in aerospace and aviation.

LaunchOK CEO Sarah Guardiola joined Hopper Smith, Valerie Phillips and Nellie Sanders at the event announcing the study’s findings.

Read the full Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics release:
https://oklahoma.gov/aerospace/outreach-advocacy/newsroom/oklahoma-aerospace-and-defense-continues-to-soar-.html

I got my pilot’s license at 16, so you could say I’ve been rooting for Oklahoma aviation for a long time!

Today at the Oklahoma History Center, we unveiled a new study showing Oklahoma’s aerospace and defense industry generates $52.5 BILLION in annual economic impact.

From our 107 public-use airports to our five major military installations and aerospace and defense companies statewide, Oklahoma is reaching new heights.
Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics

10/05/2026

Yes, right here in Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Air & Space Port at Burns Flat was the first inland facility in the United States to receive an FAA license for horizontal space launch operations.

It's one more piece of an aviation and aerospace story that has been growing in Oklahoma for decades.

For students sitting in an Oklahoma classroom today, aerospace doesn't have to be something happening somewhere else. The education, technology, and career opportunities are being built right here at home. That's why connecting Oklahoma students with STEM and aerospace education matters.

10/02/2026

Students interested in aerospace, aviation, engineering, or technology can spend an afternoon connecting directly with Oklahoma’s aerospace industry for free.

Thanks to Workforce Development Sponsor Tulsa Innovation Labs, students age 16 and older can attend the afternoon portion of the 2026 Oklahoma Aerospace Forum at no cost from 1:30–4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8th, at the Omni Oklahoma City Hotel.

Students can hear from aerospace industry leaders, explore the exhibitor hall, connect with employers and professionals, and take part in the Upcoming Talent Networking Session.

No registration or RSVP is required. Just arrive at 1:30 p.m. and check in at the registration table on the second floor. Students are encouraged to bring 10+ copies of their resume and come ready to make connections.

Our own Sarah Guardiola will also be participating in the Forum earlier that day on the “Aerospace Workforce: Building the Region’s Talent Pipeline” panel from 10:35 a.m.–11:50 a.m.

For additional information about the Oklahoma Aerospace Forum, including the full event schedule, visit: https://bit.ly/2026OKAeroForum

Interested in attending the full day? Use the student + educator discount code STUDENT20OFF before checkout for 20% off your registration.

09/18/2026

More than 250 years later, Benjamin Franklin's point still holds.

When we invest in an Oklahoma classroom today, the return doesn't end with a single lesson or school year. Students carry what they learn into college, careers, and the communities where they'll eventually live and work.

For Oklahoma, investing in STEM education is also an investment in the people who will build our future workforce.

08/20/2026

📣 Back-to-school night at Ripley Strong was happy chaos. New schedules, packed hallways, teachers meeting families, and friends reuniting after a long summer. In the middle of it, a group of students stood with a $10,000 LaunchOK grant for their school’s STEM and aerospace future.

“This first grant is a starting point, not a finish line. We would love to see Ripley’s own businesses and families build on it. When a community invests in its students, everyone feels the return.” — Sarah Guardiola, CEO, LaunchOK

Thank you to Superintendent Kaleb Hoffman, Business Manager Kathy Robison, the Ripley Board of Education, and the entire Ripley Public Schools community for welcoming LaunchOK. We can’t wait to see what these Warriors build.

Support your local public school and receive an Oklahoma State income tax credit for doing it. Learn how you can support the Oklahoma public school of your choice: https://launchok.org/

08/13/2026

Clinton Public Schools’ $10,000 LaunchOK grant is making news!

Thank you to Clinton Daily News and reporter Christian Jacobsen for highlighting LaunchOK’s partnership with Clinton Public Schools - Oklahoma and how this funding can expand STEM and aerospace education opportunities for students.

LaunchOK connects Oklahoma public schools with businesses and communities, with sustainable funding for schools to build STEM and aerospace programs that expand opportunities for students and strengthen Oklahoma’s future workforce.

Learn more: https://LaunchOK.org

View the coverage from Clinton Daily News:
https://www.theclintondailynews.com/main-news/cps-partners-launchok

08/12/2026

📣 Valerie Phillips with LaunchOK was honored to join Joe Hayes, Whitney Misak, Dr. Lori Gwyn, Principal Michelle Sorter, and Clinton Public Schools - Oklahoma to present a $10,000 LaunchOK grant that expands STEM and aerospace education opportunities for students.

Through LaunchOK, businesses and community members can help expand opportunities for the public school of their choice by redirecting eligible Oklahoma state income taxes into local STEM and aerospace education.

We appreciate Principal Michelle Sorter’s leadership and Clinton Public Schools’ commitment to creating opportunities that prepare students for future education and career pathways.

This $10,000 grant is an example of how LaunchOK helps turn community support into meaningful STEM and aerospace skills for Oklahoma students.

We’re connecting schools, businesses, and communities to create opportunities for students to explore STEM, aerospace, and other high-demand career pathways that strengthen Oklahoma’s future workforce.

Learn more about how LaunchOK supports Oklahoma public schools: https://LaunchOK.org

08/04/2026

✈️ Preparing students for tomorrow's aviation careers starts with the opportunities we create today. LaunchOK CEO Sarah Guardiola was honored to join Superintendent Joy Taylor, Brian McLain, Director of the Ketchum Aviation Program, Ketchum Public Schools, and Dana Bell of South Grand Lake Chamber of Commerce to announce a new partnership that expands STEM and aerospace education opportunities for students.

We appreciate Superintendent Joy Taylor's leadership and Ketchum Public Schools' commitment to preparing students for high-demand aviation and aerospace careers.

As Ketchum Aviation Program Director Brian McLain shared, "The question isn't whether these jobs will exist. The question is whether our students will be prepared to fill them."

Through LaunchOK businesses and community members can help expand opportunities for the public school of their choice by redirecting eligible Oklahoma state income taxes into local STEM and aerospace education.

Together, we're connecting schools, businesses, and communities to create opportunities for students to explore aviation, aerospace, and other high-demand career pathways that strengthen Oklahoma's future workforce.

Thank you to the South Grand Lake Chamber of Commerce for bringing together education, business, and community leaders, to Dana Bell for helping coordinate this event, to Sarah Guardiola, Superintendent Joy Taylor, and Brian McLain for sharing a vision that will help expand opportunities for students. We also appreciate Cregan's Confections for their wonderful hospitality.

Learn more about how LaunchOK supports Oklahoma public schools: https://LaunchOK.org