The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta kicked off its 2025 Aviation Academy on Wednesday morning, an immersive summer program designed to expose local youth to careers in the field of aviation. The program is in its third year.
Over the course of the six session program, 15 select students between the ages of 14 and 18 will explore various aviation career paths, learning about potential roles they could take on, from aircraft cabin designer or cargo specialist to flight attendant or aeronautical engineer.
The initiative is made possible through a partnership with local business leader Austin Jackson of M. Austin Jackson, Injury Lawyers, who is an experienced pilot himself.
“It’s just an opportunity to show the kids of the boys and girls club all the different aviation related careers that are out there,” said Jackson.
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Inside the program
The first day of the program began with a presentation given by Marie Eve Poirier-Harris, director of education at the American Airlines CR Smith Museum.
“The airline industry is a really interesting field because there’s constant evolution, constant change, and we’re looking for the best and the brightest to fulfill some really critical positions in the airline industry,” she said.
Poirier-Harris said that many teens don’t consider jobs in aviation if they aren’t exposed to others in their sphere who have similar jobs. However, she said that interest levels tend to increase by 30-40% for teens who have completed Aviation Academy.
“We show them what’s available, and we give them tools to achieve those careers,” she said.
After her presentation, students had the chance to participate in activities at multiple tables that represented different aviation careers. For example, a data analyst table included a sorting activity using Skittles and a cargo specialist table featured a puzzle where students had to fit wooden blocks perfectly inside a cube.
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As the program continues throughout the summer months, there will be student visits to Daniel Field for hands-on experience with flight simulators and hangar operations, and tours of Augusta Regional Airport, Shaw Air Force Base to learn about air traffic control, aircraft maintenance, and military aviation and a behind-the-scenes tour of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
