AOPA awards more than $118,000 in flight training scholarships

Twenty-four student pilots have been selected as winners of flight training scholarships awarded by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).

The scholarship program is designed to help student pilots of all ages earn a pilot certificate. The scholarships are funded by donations to the AOPA Foundation.

The winners will receive grants ranging from $2,500 to $12,000.

Four awards were made in the program’s first year. Its growth to 24 scholarship awards worth $118,500 in 2015 was made possible by the donations of organizations and individuals for a variety of scholarships, according to AOPA officials.

Awards included:

• $12,000 Noe-Singer Flight Training Scholarship: Isaac Wilson, Ramah, New Mexico
• $7,000 Buddy Flights Scholarship: Connor Frank, East Lansing, Michigan
• $7,000 Ceci Stratford Flight Training Scholarship: Genevieve Zasada, Honolulu, Hawaii
• $5,000 Blackburn Flight Scholarships: Noah Brands, Vancouver, Washington; Malia Johnson, Monmouth, Oregon
• $5,000 Breitling Aviation Scholarships: Diane Abela, New York, New York; Matthew Ehrlein, Franklin Square, New York; Stacey Hales, Wichita, Kansas; Frederick Hoffer, Douglas, Massachusetts; Trenton Jensen, Bountiful, Utah; Charlotte Kaber, Sherman Oaks, California; Mindy Nye, Los Angeles, California; Thomas Quirk, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Sandra Urias, Lake Hughes, California; Desiree Whittington, Steeles Tavern, Virginia
• $5,000 Richard R. and Gretchen E. Harper Scholarships: Chase Burnes, Rome, Georgia; Robert Rolley, Youngstown, Ohio
• $5,000 Gina Santori Flight Training Scholarship: Shirleen Bergren, Suffolk, Virginia
• $5,000 Richard Santori Memorial Scholarship: Zachary Huffman, Muncie, Indiana
• $2,500 Erral Lea Plymate Memorial Endowment Scholarships: David Chuke, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois; Abby Devarennes, Davis, California; Stephen Gilmer, Chicago, Illinois; Brock Longley, New London, North Carolina; Xaleon Shields, Ellenwood, Georgia.