EAA sponsors Women Soar

Girls in grades 8-12, teachers, parents, and women who have achieved success in non-traditional careers will come together at Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture in Oshkosh July 23-24. Presented in cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration, Women Soar engages girls in EAA education programs, introduces them to exciting career opportunities, highlights educational resources available to them, and promotes the belief that the sky is not the limit – that it is possible to achieve success in aviation, science, engineering, technology, and other careers.

Over the years, educators at EAA have developed numerous programs designed to build and preserve the environment in which innovation thrives, dreams grow, and where aspiring young people can begin building their future. Through Women Soar, the newest of these programs, students will learn what it takes to become the next astronaut, test pilot, engineer, scientist, CEO, or award-winning journalist. The goal of the program is to inspire women to explore their potential and achieve the career of their dreams.

The Women Soar program will provide an opportunity to meet many women who are leaders and pioneers in non-traditional careers, including pilots who served our country during WWII; Anousheh Ansari, an engineer and an active member of the X Prize Foundation, which recently awarded the Ansari X Prize for the design of SpaceShipOne, making the beginning of personal space exploration a reality; Kara Swenson, entrepreneur, avid pilot, and aviation pioneer, whose company, Alaris Aviation, brings aircraft buyers and sellers together; Chanda S. Budhabhatti, business owner and pilot, who was the first woman in her country to hold a speed record recognized by the National Aeronautic Association; Captain Susanna Darcy-Hennemann, the 777 Senior Test Pilot at Flight Test for the Boeing Commercial Airplane Group; and Major Jill Long, member of the United States Central Air Force, who has served in Afghanistan and Iraq as a combat pilot and liaison.

Students can register for Women Soar by calling EAA at 1-800-236-1025. There is a $10 early registration fee through June 30 for girls in grades 8-12; registration is $20 after June 30. Registration deadline is July 21. Scholarships are available; call 1-800-236-1025 for information.

Last updated on 5/15/2006