School representatives from districts across North Carolina joined aviation industry experts in Dare County September 27-29 to launch the Advancing Aviation Education and Rural Opportunities (AAERO) Network, a new statewide effort to expand aviation education and career pathways for students. The cohort currently represents 13 school districts who have applied for and been accepted into the inaugural contingent.
Created by Appalachian State University’s Office of Rural Promise, Rural Education Collaborative, and GEAR UP, AAERO brings together K–12 schools, community colleges, workforce partners, and aviation industry leaders. Through the network, partners work together to create meaningful aviation education pathways that connect students with industry-recognized credentials and high-demand careers.
The three-day kickoff began with a welcome reception featuring keynote speaker Danielle Schmick from Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). Participants had the opportunity to connect with fellow cohort members and learn more about AAERO’s goals and program timeline.
“I think this kick-off event is an exciting spark to something that is going to ignite really quickly across the state,” Schmick said. “I think starting small is a good approach so that we don’t overwhelm ourselves. I think other schools and other counties are going to catch wind of this and are going to be jumping on board!”
The second day focused on collaboration and exploration. Participants discussed aviation programs within their districts, competed in a paper airplane competition, and learned about the future of aviation from guest speaker Basil Yap, Vice President of Hovecon Consulting.
School leaders from Dare County Schools and Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools also shared lessons from successful aviation programs in their districts, including how those programs were developed. Participants explored educational resources available to support aviation programming, including curricula, scholarships, camps, and other opportunities.
For Morgan Murray, CTE Director at Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools, the opportunity to connect with educators from across North Carolina was an immediate benefit of the new network.
“I’m thankful for all the work that has been done to put together this network. Just on day one I have learned so much, and I’ve already met people across the state that I can continue to keep in contact with and collaborate our ideas together to build a stronger network,” Murray said.
The kickoff concluded with a visit to First Flight High School, where participants toured the school’s aviation lab. Over the course of two years, students in the program successfully built a Van’s RV-12 aircraft under the guidance of instructor Admiral Tynch and a team of dedicated aviation mentors.
Located on National Park Service grounds, the aviation lab sits near the Wright Brothers National Memorial, where participants toured the site and heard from park ranger Scott Babinowich. First Flight High School unveiled its student-built plane at the memorial on the anniversary of the Wright brothers’ first flight last December.
The AAERO Network will continue its work on October 28 at the Hickory Aviation Museum, where network teachers will participate in hands-on learning and explore aviation career opportunities across North Carolina. Educators will also connect with colleagues from across the state and learn about resources they can use to introduce students to aviation careers and integrate aviation concepts into their curricula.
Corinne Smith, Deputy Director of the Office of Rural Promise has played an integral role in establishing AAERO and is excited about the opportunities it can bring to students across the state of North Carolina.
“At the Office of Rural Promise, we believe where you live should never limit what’s possible. When we expand what young people can see, we expand what they can imagine for their lives”, said Smith. “AAERO is about turning that possibility into opportunity and this network is just the beginning of what we can build together for rural North Carolina.”
Building on the momentum of the AAERO kickoff event, the Office of Rural Promise looks forward to growing the Network and welcoming additional partners to this collaborative effort. Industry and business leaders interested in connecting with AAERO or exploring opportunities to support participating districts are encouraged to contact Nancy Mangum at mangumn@appstate.edu.
The current cohort of 13 districts participating in AAERO include:
Alexander County Schools
Brunswick County Schools
Catawba County Schools
Dare County Schools
Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools
Gaston County Schools
Iredell Statesville Schools
Lenoir County Public Schools
Lexington City Schools
Macon County Schools
Martin County Schools
McDowell County Schools
Yancey County Schools
