Aviation High School students earn AirVenture trip

Seventeen of the students at the Wathen Aviation High School near Riverside, California,have set their sights on this year’s EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh. The students, who have dubbed themselves “The Aviators,” came up with a plan to attend AirVenture on their own, without input from the school’s faculty. They overcame one major obstacle when Oshkosh EAA Chapter 252 volunteered sleeping bags, tents and camping space for their use at the fly-in’s Camp Scholler.

Two of their daily meals will be provided by the AirVenture Volunteer Center, as the students plan to volunteer every day to help with fly-in activities. The third meal and airfare will be covered by bake sales, car washes and any other activities they can come up with for raising money. One of the teachers and five parents will accompany the group to Oshkosh.

“We have an unusual opportunity with the Wathen Aviation High School,” said student Victoria Hurtado, who came up with the idea. “Since our school is located on an airport, we get to watch airplanes land and take off every day. It has instilled a fascination with aviation in all of us. The Oshkosh AirVenture will give us an opportunity to expand our love of flying and our knowledge of airplanes. All 17 members of The Aviators are pretty much committed to careers in aviation. We therefore consider Oshkosh essential to our education.”

The Aviators are actively soliciting fund raising ideas and designated funding checks from anyone willing to support them. They are in need of another $4,300. If you’d like to help, call Kathy Rohm at 951.683.2309, ext. 104 or visit www.flabob.org and click on the Wathen Foundation tab at the top, then on Foundation News.

Wathen Aviation High School is a free public charter school located on historic Flabob Airport. Flabob is owned by the Thomas Wathen Foundation, which is devoted to education through aviation, and which furnishes facilities and support to the operator of the high school.

For information: www.flabob.org