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Date: 7/12/2021
HOLYOKE – Vet Air, a volunteer aviation transportation organization, is teaming up with the Northampton Airport Wright Flight, the Holyoke Public Schools and the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club to bring aviation to Holyoke students.
The Northampton Airport Wright Flight (Holyoke) is currently accepting applications from Holyoke students in the seventh and eighth grade to participate in the fall Wright Flight program; introducing them to the world of aviation through science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Earlier this year, Vet Air’s goal was to raise $4,000 to provide 20 children the opportunity to take part in the Wright Flight Aviation I program free of charge. Founder Jesus M. Pereira explained, “We ended up raising the $4,000 and we have secured 20 slots at least for a fall program.” He went on to say, “We’re currently waiting to see if we were selected for a grant through Health New England which would provide us the other funding that would open up other options for us. We’re pretty excited that we’re able to locally source and fundraise for this fall program.”
Pereira told Reminder Publishing one of their newly appointed board members had connections with the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club and the school system. They found it a challenge trying to figure out how to give this program to seventh and eighth graders because historically, Wright Flight have gone into schools to give this program during the school day. However, in Holyoke Pereira said the town has six or seven schools that have seventh and eighth graders so it wasn’t feasible – especially if they have students participating from different schools. Then they decided to try to do something after school, but they needed a location. “That’s where we had conversations with the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club. They were interested in participating and partnering up on this endeavor,” responded Pereira.
Students will meet weekly after school at the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club and partake in learning activities that include aviation and aerodynamics, flight controls, the history of aviation, communications and the air traffic control system. The program also includes field day trips to local aviation companies and museums. On the last day of the Northampton Airport Wright Flight (Holyoke) program, students will get to fly in an aircraft with a certified flight instructor for 30 minutes. Pereira’s hope is to show the city of Holyoke that Wright Flight is a viable program and a way to present children into a career field they may not be thinking about. He believes this is a great way to get the youth involved in a career field that will make them take leaps and bounds.
In the meantime, Pereira said the fall program will start in the beginning of the school year around the August and September time frame. They don’t have an exact start date because they are still collecting applications and working with the school department to share their plans.
“I really hope that these children realize that there’s more to this life than the boundaries they developed through the perimeter of Holyoke,” Pereira pointed out. “There’s a whole world out there and I’m pretty sure that none of them, if any, have ever thought about aviation as a career. These children are capable and bright. They just need an introduction to the career field.”
Applications will be accepted through August. Students interested in participating can download the application form found at www.nawfh.org.
Completed applications can be emailed to Jesus@vetair.org.