Two Bishop Kenny HS Students Get the Chance to Fly High this Summer

Jacksonville, Florida — JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Two Jacksonville, Florida high school students will have the chance of a lifetime this summer, and the opportunity to become pilots after finishing an intensive training program.

Bishop Kenny High School upperclassmen Elizabeth Harden and Xander Lisowski, along with only 26 others from around the country, have been selected to attend the prestigious Navy Summer Flight Academy, where they hope to complete an intensive, eight weekslong aviation training program at Delaware State University.

In addition to classroom work, the high school junior and senior will get more than 40 hours of flight training and complete 17 hours of solo flights.

During the 2024 session, which takes place from June 9th through August 2nd, Harden and Lisowski will get the chance to fly in - and possibly fly - one of several training aircraft. If they successfully complete the program and required flight time, Harden and Lisowski will earn their FAA Private Pilot’s licenses. They will also receive five college credits.

According to Naval STEM, the organizer of the Navy and Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) Flight Academy, the purpose of the program is “to address a national pilot shortage” and encourage an interest in aviation among more people from different backgrounds. “Aviation,” according to Naval STEM, “is one of the least diverse professions in industry.”

There is no fee for students to attend the program, which was started in 2021 by the Commander of the Naval Air Forces, operates at a cost of approximately $28,000 per student. Financial sponsorship is provided by the Department of the Navy.

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