A Different Point of View (ADPOV), the award-winning aviation nonprofit in Santa Barbara has announced the launch of its first Aviation 101 & Leadership Program at La Cuesta Continuation High School.
The six-week course, taught to junior and senior high school students, includes introductions to aviation workforce opportunities as well as lessons in aerodynamics, aircraft mechanics, pilot communication, and leadership training.
“It is extremely rewarding for us to be able to teach aviation and leadership training to the wonderful students at La Cuesta,” said Lynn Houston, ADPOV founder and CEO.
“We were very excited when Elise Simmons, principal of La Cuesta High School, approved our course,” Houston said.
To give the first class of student pilots more hands-on training, ADPOV has invited them to a special one-day Aviation Career Program on March 26 at Santa Barbara Airport.
The day’s classes will include professional flight lessons, full motion-simulator training, an aircraft-maintenance workshop, and self-awareness and leadership training.
For the last five years ADPOV has offered a summer Aviation Career Program as well as Discovery Days and year-round mentoring for students throughout Santa Barbara County with special focus on diverse and “at promise” youth.
The new events for La Cuesta students are part of ADPOV’s growing outreach.
Thanks to recent grants from the Williams-Corbett Foundation, Arkay Foundation, and individual donors Karen Kahn and Judy Ricker, ADPOV will expand its three-day Aviation Career Program to run July 9 -11 and Aug. 11-13.
An addition tp this year’s summer program will include drone training for all student pilots, thanks to the donation of a DJI Phantom 4 “smart” camera drone by long-time supporter, Margaret Mead.
“As an aviation career-based nonprofit, offering this new workforce opportunity should prove very exciting for our incoming students,” said Mike Linhart, ADPOV board president.
Professional flight training for the Aviation Career Programs will be held at Above All Aviation flight school, a long-time partner and supporter of ADPOV.
ADPOV also has named new members and officers on its board of directors.
Members: Dr. Leonie Mattison, who spearheads the design and development of clinical trials for Sansum Diabetes Center; and Angi Daus, senior manager of Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society’s California Division.
Also, Jamie Dufek, program director at the Hudson Institute in Santa Barbara; and Patrick Corrigan, M.B.A., financial planner for West Coast Financial.
Executive committee includes president, Michael Linhart; secretary, Angi Daus; and treasurer, Patrick Corrigan.
A Different Point of View is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit. Its mission is to engage, inspire and transform youth using flight lessons as their launching pad.
For more information on ADPOV, call 698-6784 or visit ADifferentPointofView.org. Donations to this public charity are gratefully accepted. EIN#46-1048241.
— Lynn Houston for A Different Point of View.