Atlanta nonprofit uses aviation program to support girls coping with loss
While most students are spending their spring break relaxing, a group of young women in metro Atlanta is gathered in a classroom for a different kind of lesson, one that serves as both an education and social therapy.
This week marks the 5th annual Youth Aviation Exploration Week, a flagship program hosted by the Motherless Daughters Foundation. Rassalyn Uter created the nonprofit to provide support for young girls and teens navigating life after the loss of their mothers.
Whether a mother is absent due to death, incarceration, mental illness, or emotional detachment, the foundation steps in to provide the guidance typically found at home.
"Losing a mother is very hard. So imagine losing her so young," Uter said.
The program caters to the unique needs of each girl, offering everything from grief therapy and career counseling to getting them ready for prom.
Hailey Buggs joined the foundation in 2022 following the loss of her mother. The grief, she says, led to a brief depression that made it difficult to focus on school or her future.
"I was honestly thinking about what my life would be," Hailey shared. "It made me feel like, why did she have to go so early? Why did that happen?"
Recognizing her grief and her potential, the foundation's mentors worked to help Hailey find her voice. When she expressed a desire to overcome her shyness, they enrolled her in Toastmasters. The result was a newfound confidence that would prove integral to her success in the air and on the ground.
This week, that support system took Hailey and her peers to Hartsfield-Jackson International, Atlanta Regional/Falcon Field, and Fulton County Airport/Charlie Brown Field.
The girls received personal training from a fleet of industry professionals, including pilots, aerospace engineers, and air traffic controllers. avionic technicians and more.
The highlight of the experience was the Discovery Flight, where the students moved beyond the hangar and into the pilot's seat.
"They're actually flying the plane with a licensed certified flight instructor," Uter said. "It's so exciting for them and all of us."
For Hailey, the experience has been a powerful reminder that she doesn't have to navigate life's turbulence alone. She says her "mother mentors" consistently motivate her to pursue her goals, proving that her past losses do not define her future.
"That push made me want to strive harder," Hailey said. "I may fall, this is not the end for me."
As the week concludes, these young women will walk off the tarmac with more than just a new perspective; each will receive a special aviation certification for students, a tangible reminder that, for them, the sky is truly the limit.