CAA: GA News, "Tennessee Program Helps High School Students Solo"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@cwnet.com>]

Friday, January 21, 2000

TENNESSEE PROGRAM HELPS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SOLO
GA News


ERWIN, Tennessee — How to get kids interested in education? The answer could
be over their heads.

A former Air Force pilot is using aviation to enhance learning and increase
interest in a high school Jr. ROTC program.

When he retired from the Air Force, after flying F-4s, A-7s and F-16s,
Lieutenant Colonel Bill Powley hoped to get a job with the airlines.
Instead, he took over the foundering Jr. ROTC program at Unicoi County High
School here in Erwin.

“All I could think of was, What can I do to make this program better?”
Powley recalled. He won approval from the school board to create a flight
program as part of the course, integrating aviation into classroom
instruction, and offering students an orientation flight and the opportunity
to solo.

“One of the biggest problems in education is that kids don’t care; you can’t
get their attention,” Powley said. “But flying is exciting for them, and it
teaches math and science.”

When he came aboard, the Jr. ROTC program was close to being canceled for
lack of interest, but bringing flight into the picture has helped revitalize
it. It has also made a real difference in the lives of many participants.

More than 220 students have flown on orientation flights, and in the last
three years six students have soloed. The biggest impediment to drawing more
students is the $800 in lessons and materials that it costs to solo.

“Almost half the kids are on food stamps,” Powley said. “It’s kind of a poor
area.”

The community has helped, donating money to provide 50% scholarships for
qualified solo aspirants. But coming up with even half the money isn’t easy
for many of the students. Last year, to raise more money and provide full
solo scholarships, Powley established the non-profit FLIGHT (Flight Lesson
Instruction Grants Helping Teens) Foundation. He managed to win a $2,400
grant from NASA. Students receive scholarships in exchange for 20 hours of
community service.

“I don’t even care if they’re interested in flying per se,” Powley said. “I
want to give them confidence in themselves.”

Jeremey Miller, 16, is one of the current solo candidates.

“It would have been difficult for me to come up with half the money,” said
Miller, who is about four lessons away from soloing and says flying is “more
of a thrill than I thought it’d be.” He hopes to attend the Air Force
Academy and wants to make flying his career.

Powley credits the school administration, school board members, and the
community with making the program work. And of course, the students as well.

“I’m so proud of these kids,” Powley said.

For more information, contact the FLIGHT Foundation, c/o Lt. Col. (ret.)
Bill Powley, UCHS/AFROTC, 700 S. Mohawk Ave.. Erwin, TN 37650; phone:
423-743-1659; E-mail: afjtn073@aol.com.

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