alumni

When UTeach graduate Yun Liu began teaching at Trinidad Garza Early College High School in Dallas ISD, he volunteered to rebuild a VEX Robotics program that had stopped competing. That experience led him to a new opportunity: starting an Aerial Drone Competition team.

Yun launched the drone program two years ago. In its first year, the team won a coding award and qualified for the US South Central Regional Championship. The program has since grown into a career and technical education course, Introduction to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, where students gain hands-on STEM experience and work toward an industry credential. Yun also coaches the competition team and helps students prepare for the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.

The students’ work extends well beyond flying. They code, troubleshoot and repair drones, build competition fields, and record their progress in engineering logbooks. They also learn to rely on one another. Yun sees their growth when experienced students coach newer teammates or take the initiative to help with fundraising.

Competition gives students a chance to celebrate that work. Yun’s team earned a Teamwork Mission Champion award at the Dallas ISD Aerial Competition, and students are beginning to draw on their drone experiences in scholarship applications. Visits from an FAA guest speaker and a Dallas Police Department drone demonstration have also helped them explore where their skills might lead.

“The most rewarding part is watching something I built from scratch become a place where students develop skills, take on leadership roles, and see new possibilities for their futures,” Yun says.