We are proud to recognize Eric Beall, a high school educator from the Palm Springs Unified School District, as our May 2025 Educator of the Month. From the music room to the drone lab, Eric’s journey into STEM education reflects a lifelong passion for technology, creativity, and student discovery.
Eric’s Journey in Education: From Music to Machines
Eric didn’t begin in STEM—in fact, his roots were in melody. “I started off as a Middle School music teacher. I was a Middle School music teacher for 10 years before I switched to my IT and drone classes.”
But his love for drones and computers started even earlier. As a high schooler, Eric was also into radio-controlled cars, and that early fascination grew into a deeper interest in flight. “About 18 years ago, I got into radio-controlled airplanes and helicopters and finally about 6 years ago I got into the world of drones.”
What ties it all together, no matter the subject? “My passion for teaching comes from the fulfillment I get when I see my students have the same reaction I did when I built my first computer. That genuine amazement and confidence they exude is the best thing a teacher could see.”
A Day in the Life: Reaching Across Three Campuses
Eric’s program is as dynamic as the students he teaches. “My program reaches three different schools in my district. I start at one high school and teach two classes then I travel to another location that sits between two other school sites for the rest of my day.”
This mobility reflects his district-wide commitment to expanding access to high-quality STEM education through drones and IT.
Challenges: Awareness and Safe Airspace
Like many STEM teachers, Eric encountered obstacles early on. “One challenge I noticed with our various STEM programs is awareness. Most people have a fear of the unknown, so when students see ‘IT’ or ‘Drones’ as an elective option they don’t know what they are getting into.”
That changed quickly once the drones went airborne. “After completing my first year with the LocoRobo curriculum, students around campus noticed my class building and flying drones and then my enrollment doubled.”
Another challenge? Space. “Finding a safe place to fly our LocoRobo drone kits… was a challenge. Once my Admin saw the student engagement with the LocoRobo curriculum they quickly bought in and helped me find solutions.”
“I would say the visibility and “coolness” that the LocoRobo curriculum brought to our
school was a huge boost to our STEM enrollment challenge. Once students were in my drone class they signed up for other STEM activities on our campus like drone soccer, 3d printing, and python coding. A lot of my students also participated in the Skills USA after school club. The LocoRobo team was also very helpful in helping us find the appropriate drone curriculum to implement for our students’ age and experience level.”
Implementation: Teaching Drone Safety, Flight Mechanics, and Curiosity
Eric first introduced the TryDrones LocoRobo curriculum into his program to cover the basics of safe flight. “I used it to teach drone operations safety as well as make sure all students understood the rules and regulations that govern drone flight.”
From there, the build began. “Moving into the assembly of the drone kit itself helped the students understand how it was possible for the drone to fly.” For Eric, the technical components opened the door to deeper learning. “Understanding how all the electronics from the flight controller, VTX, receiver, and ESC all work together… was key in sparking other questions from students.”
And LocoRobo’s curriculum’s design kept students engaged: “The lessons and instructional videos were broken down into small bits… The text-based instruction coupled with the video walkthroughs hit multiple learning modalities covering all my students.”
Impact: Building Skills, Confidence, and Career Curiosity
The hands-on learning experience sparked major shifts in student engagement. “Once we got through the LocoRobo curriculum the students had a good understanding of drones and how they operate which allowed me to move into other units about how drones are used in construction, agriculture, real estate, and surveying.”
“The career opportunities using drones that I was able to explore with my students opened their eyes to multiple potential career paths in the world of aviation and drones.”
Outcomes: From After-School Club to Full Class
The proof is in the progression. “The first year we implemented the LocoRobo curriculum I was a full time music teacher and drones was an after school club that met once a week for an hour. The next year it was a class that met every day during the regular school schedule. I think that speaks volumes as to the impact LocoRobo had on student engagement and immediate growth of the program.”
Aha Moments: That First Lift-Off
There’s one moment that never gets old for Eric—or his students. “A recurring memorable moment each year is the day we test fly the drones after they spent weeks learning about them and building them… They arm the drone and nothing explodes so they get a little more excited… then they slowly ease into the throttle and the drone lifts off!! Then they have the ‘Aha’ moment and realize that they did it!”
“Another ‘Aha’ moment for students is when they realize that they can take what they learned and become a drone pilot/operator using their unique skills to start their own business and make a career out of a newly learned passion.
Eric’s passion, adaptability, and dedication to his students exemplify what it means to be an educator. We are proud to honor Eric as our May Educator of the Month and look forward to continuing our partnership to help bring hands-on STEM learning to more classrooms across Palm Springs and beyond.
