Brigadier General Kenneth McGill, former commander of the 138th Fighter Wing of Tulsa Air National Guard, learned about the youth program after his Public Affairs personnel, 2nd Lt. Kimberly Maloy and TSgt Michael Bennett, had attended a conference where the program was highlighted. Believing that the youth of Oklahoma deserved the program, they, along with Air Force Advisor, Lt Col Tom Hughes, commenced to organize Oklahoma. Although funding was not available at the time, support of the program by volunteers from the Air National Guard and the local community was strong, so without funding or supplies, Oklahoma began a pilot program conducted in Tulsa in July of 1993. The primary focus of this program was on fourth through sixth grade children, placing special emphasis on reaching out to minorities and at-risk youth. In order for a school to qualify for the program, the National Guard Bureau established the criterion of a minority student population of at least 50% and/or 65% of the student body participating in the free or reduced lunch program. Tulsa Public Schools selected 20 students from two schools that met the "at-risk" criterion, and the first Academy was underway. In order to conduct the class, a base facility was converted into a classroom and volunteers donated supplies, time and talent. By the end of the summer, two schools with high Native American populations had been added to the Oklahoma program.

     In September of 1993, at the request of the Governor and the Adjutant General of the Oklahoma National Guard, the National Guard Bureau funded Oklahoma for a three-year period, with the agreement that the program would expand and become self-supporting. Full time staff members were hired, supplies were purchased and regular Academies were being held at the Air National Guard Base in Tulsa.

     The program expanded by providing Teacher Training Institutes so more students could be reached by the unique hands-on material that were being developed and taught by the staff. The Tulsa Air Guard Base and its enthusiastic volunteers continued to work on improving the program by providing office space for the staff as well as renovating buildings for teaching the academies. In the summer of 1995, Oklahoma moved into a permanent, well-equipped classroom.

     In 1996, Federal Funds were decreased. The State of Oklahoma provided additional funding for the program to make up the shortfall and increase the ever-growing program. The state funding and private funding increased each succeeding year. In May of 2000, MG Cortright, Oklahoma TAG, announced the opening of our second site in Oklahoma City. The site was to be operated on limited state and private funding. In June he requested federal funding for that site. Funding was approved in Nov 2000 for the second site to begin operation in January 2000.

     The program now operates 35 Academies each year from the Tulsa Air National Guard Base in cooperation with various schools in Tulsa and Northeast Oklahoma. The Oklahoma City site at Will Rogers Air National Guard base also operates 35 academies yearly for schools in the Oklahoma City area. Twenty one school districts throughout the state participate in the extension program.