Today we’d like to introduce you to Captain Drew Ferguson.
Hi Captain Drew, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
As a 12-year-old boy, Drew Peterson suffered a freak accident that resulted in two broken hips. His prognosis was grim; he was told he would never be able to play sports, be a firefighter, or achieve Top Gun Maverick. His dreams were crushed, his future floundering. Over the last 30 years, Drew has overcome those obstacles and served as a firefighter for over 25 years. He is a certified firefighter/EMT and Rescue Technician. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle and a Master of Public Health with a graduate emergency & disaster management certificate. Ferguson is an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) in helicopters and holds a USCG Captain of 100 tons license. In addition to serving his community as a part-time firefighter and EMT for Chagrin Falls Fire Department and an active member of the Ohio Region 2 Urban Search and Rescue Team, Drew actively serves on several committees that support his work with Argonaut: USCGAuxiliary, Cuyahoga River Safety Task Force, Tuskegee Airmen, and Flats Forward. He also chairs the Northeast Ohio Helicopter Operators Group and is co-chair of the Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium. Drew is well-known through the Aviation and Maritime fields as a fierce advocate for the education and training of Davis A&M students in these underrepresented fields.
Captain Ferguson drew on his childhood experiences when volunteering as a mentor in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD). In that role, he heard students repeat the same phrase much too often. “We are used to disappointment.” It was clear that students who had good grades had a clear pathway to their future. But the students who were like him–full of stifled energy and damaged expectations–were not being encouraged to dream and make big plans for their futures.
Drew asked himself, what is the impact of expected failure—when a child believes their dreams are impossible? What does it mean for their future? What is the impact on society if our children’s capacity to aspire has wilted? Leaning on his experiences as a first responder, firefighter, and EMS helicopter pilot, along with his passion for all things water, Drew founded Davis A&M in 2010 to provide career pathways for students who shared his love but believed it was impossible.
Drew’s direct leadership has supported multiple partnerships with industry leaders who support the education and training of Davis A&M students. One key partner, the Port of Cleveland, has increased work-training opportunities for youth and further grown educational awareness around environmental equity, water safety, and career pathways in the maritime fields. Through this partnership, 50 youth receive over 150 hours of direct work training annually and have directly supported the removal of over 350,000 lbs. of debris from the water, participated in 35 active rescues on the water, and assisted over 65 freighters through the harbor in 2022.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Our journey has experienced many of the same barriers our children face. Resistance to higher aspirations from our very new community created impediments in our ability to break the cycle of poverty; we persevered. The student population at Davis A&M is largely underserved, with 100% of students considered “economically disadvantaged,” All students are eligible for free lunches. The student population is 25.8% Female and 74.2% Male, 64.5% African American, 15.7% Caucasian, 16.6% Hispanic, and 0.9% Asian. 25.35% of the students have a disability, and 13.1% of enrolled students have limited English proficiency. The corporation’s name was changed from PHASTAR to Argonaut in June 2022. While the organization’s name has changed, its goal remains the same.
The 2019-2020 school year saw new challenges in providing education and programming to our students due to COVID-19. Due to our flexibility and depth of experience, Argonaut/Davis A&M immediately responded to our community’s needs. We quickly repurposed our Davis A&M fabrication lab, producing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) until the industry was able to catch up with demand. We produced more than 1000 pieces of PPE between March and May, which were distributed to local emergency management agencies and hospitals. Argonaut assisted in the acquisition and distribution of Internet hotspots, computers, school materials, and food to all students and families at Davis A&M who requested assistance. Argonaut created and launched the Safe Study Space program at their headquarters that May, providing students with a safe, quiet, and supportive environment to continue their education. Our Safe Study Space was a model utilized by CMSD to expand this type of programming throughout the city at the beginning of this school year. Unfortunately, only K-8 Learning Pod Programs are funded. Our program, the only high school “Learning Pod,” continued to operate at capacity until the CMSD resumed in-person classes.
Following two years of pandemic-related obstacles, the organization has undergone strategic internal and leadership changes that make it poised for change. Not satisfied with the status quo, it has developed its infrastructure, invested in human capital, and engaged in solid partnerships to propel its growth. The staff has been working diligently to build capacity and implement a strategic plan for expansion and sustainability that will carry it well into the future. The staff have been working diligently to build capacity and implement a strategic plan for expansion and sustainability that will carry the organization well into the future. Our leadership has recruited a strong and diverse board of directors, strengthened the partnership between Argonaut and the district, and built critical infrastructure, including financial controls, employee policies and practices, and organizational metrics. In the wake of the pandemic, we strategically invested in programs with the greatest potential to fill a significant community need and grow to the point where our sponsors and partners absorb their direct costs and overhead. These programs can expand to include additional community partnerships and serve more students. We have also looked across all our program areas to reduce expenses as appropriate and contain costs while not compromising program efficacy and quality.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Argonaut* is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded by D. Andrew Ferguson and Douglas McConnell in 2010. Recognizing the workforce shortages and a lack of diversity in the aerospace and maritime industries, Ferguson and McConnell created a combined business/education model that incorporates a project-based learning environment and real-life experiences for high school-aged youth in the city of Cleveland. Our Mission is to build adventurers through immersive learning experiences that challenge assumptions and shift norms for growing empowered talent in aerospace and maritime fields.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://argonaut.org/
- Instagram: @ArgonautCLE
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-ferguson-mph-8904a43a/
