North Texas school district partners to offer flight training to teens
Cedar Hill ISD is preparing to take students to new heights through a partnership with a local nonprofit that will launch a first-of-its-kind aviation program.
The district has teamed up with Cedar Hill Dads Aviation, founded by longtime resident John Mays, to provide students with training and opportunities that could lead to real aviation careers.
Mays, who earned his pilot's license later in life, said he hopes to inspire students who might not otherwise see aviation as possible.
"I've always had a passion to fly ever since I was a little kid," Mays said. "What I want to do is invest in these kids and change the outlook of some who may never look up and say, 'I can do that.'"
Making aviation more accessible
The nonprofit will work with sponsors to help cover the costs, making the program more affordable and accessible. Organizers hope that by the time students graduate, they will have earned at least a private pilot's license, with some possibly achieving more advanced certifications.
The program begins next month with 15 students training to receive their drone operator licenses. By the next school year, it will expand to include ground school, simulations and hands-on flight lessons.
Leadership supports student opportunity
To preview what's ahead, Mays even took Cedar Hill ISD Superintendent Dr. Maria Gammell on a flight.
"It was exciting for me because I was like, 'Yeah, I want to fly!'" Gammell said. "But also, I need kids to know that this is real. You can do this."
Gammell said programs like this provide students with opportunities to explore their futures.
"When kids are in kindergarten, we ask them what they want to be when they grow up," she said. "What we have to do is give kids access to opportunities to explore who they will become. For me, this is another avenue to do that."
Long-term vision for expansion
Cedar Hill Dads Aviation hopes to expand to other North Texas districts, with the long-term vision of creating one of the nation's leading aviation training programs for high school students.
"Cedar Hill Aviation High School," Mays said. "The airlines will be coming for us for their pilots. Period."