Turbine engine manufacturer Williams International has donated $500,000 to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association You Can Fly High School Aviation STEM Curriculum.
When presenting the half million dollar gift, Williams International CEO Gregg Williams said he is living proof that teaching kids about aviation can spark a lifelong passion, a terrific career, and the ability to make an impact.
“We have always been a leader in advancing education through a combination of apprenticeships, our internal education program, the aviation industry’s best rotational engineering program, and our WINGS flight training program. This donation to You Can Fly supports this vision, as it’s a significant step to help high school students get a head start in careers in aviation,” Williams said.
The donation will enable AOPA to expand the program, which offers the aviation-based STEM curriculum free to high schools across the nation.
Launched in 2017, the curriculum is developed and updated by a team composed of teachers, curriculum professionals, pilots, and flight instructors, according to AOPA officials. In the current school year, more than 14,000 students are enrolled in 44 states.
The program recently celebrated its first graduates, with AOPA officials reporting that 58% of those graduates plan to pursue aviation-related careers, including professional pilot, aerospace engineering, and maintenance.
The High School Aviation STEM Curriculum is one pillar of You Can Fly, whose mission is to get more pilots in the skies and keep them there safely. You Can Fly also supports the development of flying clubs to keep flying accessible and affordable; encourages best practices in flight training; and helps lapsed pilots to get back in the air with its Rusty Pilot program.