Cumberland County High School looking for donations to fund student scholarships enrolled in the system’s aviation program.
Cumberland County Schools CTE Director Leslie Eldridge said the program’s grant funds received five years ago to help students meet their career goals are nearing depletion. Eldridge said the money will go towards flight lessons and flight physicals.
“We have had close to 30 students who have earned their private pilot’s license before even graduating high school,” Eldridge said. “So we’re very pleased with this program and very excited about, you know, preparing students for the workforce and post secondary.”
Eldridge said the program currently awards four scholarships per year and they’d like to increase that to six. Eldridge said they do not have a goal in mind, any amount will help.
“We will take anything that anyone would like to give and donate to the program,” Eldridge said. “It goes directly to our Tennessee Flight Training account for the students to have those opportunities with flights lessons and flight curriculum.”
Eldridge said the students are required to undergo a strenuous application process. Eldridge said that is to ensure the program is being a good steward of donors’ money.
“Just to make sure this is something they want to do,” Eldridge said. “To know that their grades warrant this funding and that they are on the right track to pursue this as a career academically, as well as physically and mentally and emotionally stable.”
