CLEVELAND, TN (WDEF) — TDOT has awarded $22,000 to Cleveland High School’s Aviation Program. The money will go be used to prepare future pilots, engineers and aerospace professionals. That’s a high aiming example of “What’s Right With Our Schools.”
“It’s rare to have an aviation program in high school so we have them across the state of Tennessee and Cleveland High school is very fortunate to have an Aviation program in house. We’re very blessed and appreciative of the Tennessee Department of transportation Aeronautic Division, to provide a grant for us to move forward with our students taking their introductory flights. But this also allows them to move onto a flight instruction second level after that. Well, we have different levels of aviation courses at Cleveland High School, and so that allows students to take courses of interest to them. And opens up the whole field of aviation to them whether they’re planning for plane flight maintenance or their private pilots license all those things are open as possibilities as they learn about them,” Randall Stephens, a supervisor for Career Technical Education.
“I’m really excited about this originally I was taught mathematics here at Cleveland High School and so when the opportunity came available to become an aviation instructor. I jumped on it,” said Jeffrey Garrett an aviation instructor at Cleveland High School.
“I’ve loved aviation my entire life. I’ve got my private pilot license when I was a sophomore in high school. So this kinda allowed me to get back into aviation and I’m excited about it for sure. Kids, especially in the area that we live in which is predominantly manufacturing base. They don’t have a lot of people that are involved within aviation so getting their interest perked just hearing what’s available here at Cleveland High School (within through aviation) it stems an interest for sure. But just being exposed to it, they’re able to see is this something that’s a possibility for me or not. And that’s something I really like,” said Garrett.
Colt Maughon: “One thing that really got me interested in flying was I went to an airshow and I watched the Blue Angels fly and I was really cool fight demonstration team for Navy. And watching them go around at 100 miles an hour in sync, flying ride above me, I think that was really cool.bbSo that was one thing that really got me interested in aviation. So this program is amazing with all the fight simulators and the teacher Mr. Garrett, he’s amazing, and so with all the resources and a great teacher, I’ve been able to learn about flying. So this last year I learned about the history of aviation, some basic flight controls, and I was even able to go up in a real airplane this summer. This programs allowed me to be informed about aviation and allow me to really see this is what I wanna do in my life,” said Colt Maughon a senior at Cleveland High School.
“We’re very excited about this program. As it continues to grow we’re excited about the opportunities at this grant afford to us. Our CTE program feels like it’s important to involve students in crew exploration throughout their whole school experience. So we started at the elementary level with career exploration, and awareness, and make our way through the middle school and high school with all types of careers. And so aviation is just another avenue for them for those who are interested,” said Stephens.
