St. Pete Catalyst; Published By: Mark Parker
A St. Petersburg nonprofit once focused on helping children who lost a parent in combat is now offering its drone and career-skill program to underserved students throughout the area.
SOFWOLF is a combined acronym for Special Operations Forces and Warrior Outdoor Leadership for the Future. Army veteran Michael Vaughn, chairman, and Sara Moola, executive director, launched the organization in Utah in 2012.
The husband-and-wife duo moved the organization to St. Pete in 2019, and SOFWOLF is now the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub’s nonprofit anchor. Establishing a new base in St. Petersburg’s Innovation District was fitting since Moola rewrote the curriculum during the pandemic to better align with in-demand STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skill sets.
What started as a way to give back to the nation’s Gold Star community – those with a family member killed in action – is now leveraging gaming, robotics and drones to advance equitable education. The Pinellas Community Foundation recently aided that mission with a $50,000 grant to purchase a mobile command post. Read more
