Textron Aviation recently donated $1 million to the AOPA Foundation to support the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association‘s You Can Fly initiative and its high school aviation STEM curriculum.
The donation will enable You Can Fly to introduce more high school students to career opportunities in aviation through the curriculum, which is offered free to schools, AOPA officials said.
They noted that more than 12,000 students in 44 states are already benefiting from the aviation curriculum.
“The You Can Fly High School Aviation STEM Curriculum is a true win-win: It addresses one of the most pressing issues facing the entire aviation industry, and it puts high school students on a solid track to rewarding careers,” said Elizabeth Tennyson, senior vice president of the AOPA Foundation and You Can Fly.
The program, launched nationwide in the 2017-2018 school year, recently celebrated its first graduates, 58% of whom reported that they plan to pursue aviation-related careers, including professional pilot, aerospace engineer, and maintenance.