JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two Bishop Kenny High School students are among the 28 selected nationwide to attend the U.S. Navy Summer Flight Academy.
Elizabeth Harden and Xander Lisowski will complete an intensive eight-week aviation program at Delaware State University to achieve their FAA Private Piolt’s licenses upon completion of the training.
Recommended Videos
The program takes place from June 9 to August 2.
Harden and Lisowski are two of 28 high-performing 11th and 12th graders in the U.S. selected for the elite program, which was established in 2021 by the Commander, Naval Air Forces (CNAF) to increase exposure to Naval Aviation.
The Navy partners with select universities in the country to provide flight training to the participating students.
The program costs approximately $28,000 per student, but it is free to the students with no obligations.
The Department of the Navy sponsors the Summer Flight Academy program for students participating in the Navy and Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps.
It is a new STEM initiative that was selected for funding by the Naval STEM Coordination Office.
“The goal of the scholarship program is to inspire and expose exceptional young talent from communities across the nation to a career path in Naval Aviation,” Tamara Graham, Deputy Director, CNAF Flight Academy Program Manager said. “Elizabeth Harden and Xander Lisowski have demonstrated exceptional potential, and the Navy is honored to play a part in their personal and professional journeys.”
They will receive a minimum of 32 hours of classroom aviation academics and more than 40 hours of flight training in either a Vulcanair V.10 single-engine aircraft or Piper Warrior (PA-28). Both will also be required to complete 17 hours of solo flights as part of the certification process.