MACON, Ga. — A Macon man is teaching students how to climb toward their dreams in an after-school aviation program. Sabrina Burse sat in on a class to see how he's helping students soar.
William White is a pilot that started the program through Campus Clubs, which is a community development center. The aviation program is geared towards students living in the pleasant hill community, but students from all over Macon are welcome to join. Kiernasia Foston says she was excited to join an after-school program catered to just that.
"Ever since I was a little girl, I've always wanted to fly and go in airplanes," said Foston.
But she never had the chance to. She says the program gets her one step closer to her dream of floating above the clouds.
"I always wanted to see the world," said Foston.
Instructor William White says each student learns skills like problems solving and working with others.
"To see their ability just in the one-and-a-half hours every week that we do this and how they've grown just in their knowledge of aviation is amazing," said White.
Foston says learning about aviation isn't always easy.
"I want to learn how to steady flight and land better," said Foston.
Jamal Gregory is a senior in high school, and says after learning so much about aircraft, he wants to work on engineering one some day.
"Flying isn't as simple as I thought it would be. There's a lot more stuff that you have to look around," said Gregory.
White hopes students can use the hands-on experience to help their future take off.
"If we can get one student to get out of Pleasant Hill and get a great career, that's worth all the time we put into it," said White.
Although Gregory and Foston don't live in that particular community, they still say what they get of the program is worth it.
"Everybody who was involved in the program actually came out a better person in general," said Foston.
The instructor says after the program ends, he plans on taking the students on a plane ride so they can feel the real thing.The aviation after-school program is yearlong and is open for high school students.
If you are interested in introducing your child to a career in the clouds, you can visit campusclubsmacon.org or email the Campus Clubs executive director, Robin Crosby, at rcrosbycc@gmail.com.