Kenwood High Offers New Aviation Program

Kenwood’s Aviation Program is a course of study students can take to further their education on flight and to prepare them for the exciting careers associated with aviation. Jobs that are future possibilities with this program are Aviation Technology, Technology Education, and Aviation careers including the military.

Kenwood’s JROTC instructors leaders are working with students, so students can gain better knowledge of aviation and more job opportunities in and outside the military. Students are building models of planes, taking field trips to places like the Smithsonian Aerospace Museum, and working with drones and rockets and remote control aircraft.

Senior Master Sergeant Stone shared that students have the opportunity to fly drones and complete virtual assimilations so as they leave Kenwood’s Aviation Program they know all the parts of the drone and how to fly it. This program gives students an opportunity to transition into a career with aviation and even earn college credit. This program gives students a chance to partner with the Community College of Baltimore County and allows them to interact with high-profile aviation industry partners such as Textron Industries.

JROTC student Haley Graham, though not a current aviation student but someone who was so interested in getting her pilot’s license she got it through the FAA with the Civil Air Patrol while she was part of the JROTC program, would highly recommend the course to Kenwood students, “The knowledge gained in the aviation courses is essential knowledge in today’s world because so many new innovations require these skills in any engineering field.”

Through the Kenwood’s Aviation program, students can now receive a Federal Aviation Administration license known as FAA before they leave high school. Students can also receive their remote pilot license which puts them a step ahead when they leave high school to start looking for jobs associated with the aviation field. Not only are students able to pursue work in this field after high school, but these jobs are high paying and gives students a career advantage as they leave high school.

According to Kenwood Principal, Mr. Powell, the Aviation program gives the school more diversified career options. There are many career focused programs offered at Kenwood, but they wanted to offer something slightly different that is only available to Baltimore County students here at Kenwood or Hereford High.

Not only does Senior Master Sergeant Stones teach aviation but he teaches about aerodynamics, videography, weight and balance, and the theory of flight. In his class they use model rockets or build parachuting mechanisms to give students a real feel for flying a plane.

Aviation student Chloe Kuoagou is grateful for the opportunity she has to work towards her career goals right here at Kenwood. She hopes to one day be a pilot in the Air Force before taking advantage of the college tuition opportunities with the military to pursue her education to become a cardiologist. “I’ve wanted to fly a plane ever since I was a little girl and the Kenwood Aviation program is helping me work towards that goal.”

Aviation is not a job usually looked at until it’s too late, so for Kenwood High students to have access to this program, it gives them a rare opportunity for their future that’s not available just anywhere.