Harrison County Academy of Aviation Technology is helping students TAKE OFF! | CPT PPP Coverage

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The Harrison County Academy of Aviation Technology started at Bridgeport High School in 2019 and is open to every high school student in Harrison County. Rafe Snell is the instructor of HCAAT and is well respected and beloved by students, parents, and all of us in the North Central West Virginia aerospace industry sector.

A few weeks ago, Ed Waske, chief operating officer of Engine Airframe Solutions Worldwide and founder of the upcoming Third Annual Carl Hopkins Aviation Expo, came to Rafe with an opportunity. He said he had a Discovery Flight Prize from Fairmont State University that enables a student to get a chance to have an introductory free flight, and wondered if they could find a way to present this free flight to one of the HCAAT students?

Rafe decided to turn this into another learning opportunity and asked students to compose a mini essay on “why you want to be a pilot.” Sarah Yearego, a 10th grader just finishing Aerospace II of the four semester HCAAT program, won the contest with this essay:

“Over Thanksgiving break, my family took a trip to Ireland to go visit friends and celebrate my sweet sixteen. We took a charter flight from Morgantown to D.C. and it was amazing. The plane had six seats and I could see and feel every motion the pilots and plane took. The entire ride I was wide awake and excited for the day I could fly myself. Every time I drive my car, I wish with all my might that I could be “driving” a plane instead. If I became a pilot I would love to do super long flights, but I have always felt called to search and rescue helicopter work; this way I could use what I have been taught to help other people, not just myself.

I also would be a third-generation woman in Aviation for my family. My grandmother was one of the founding members of the Bridgeport Airport and helped bring countless companies to the area and during the Second World War, my great-grandmother went to Baltimore to build the planes my great-grandfather would design the landing strips for. I grew up in a family that was always pushed for more. That mindset will serve me well in this industry. Aviation inspires me and pushes me forward. My Aerospace classes push me toward my potential and encourage me, every day, to take off!”

Rafe said that Sarah always has very intuitive ideas on how to solve problems. He stated that the reason so many students like Sarah thrive in his program is that he focuses on having an innovative classroom to figure out and solve problems in their own space and time, by creating an atmosphere where kids are encouraged to think out of the box.

Friday, May 5, Sarah took her Discovery Flight from Fairmont State and was able to bring a friend that had never flown before. Sarah said, “I was able to have moments that I could fly and land and take off all on my own. It was an unbelievable experience and I can’t wait to do it again.” As Sarah mentioned in her essay, aviation is in her blood. Her great-grandmother, Virginia Yearego worked in Baltimore during World War II helping to build airplanes and her grandmother Alice Yearego worked at Bombardier and retired from Aurora Flight Sciences.

The primary goal of the HCAAT program is for students like Sarah to learn the fundamental skills necessary to either acquire employment in aviation, or to continue on the pathway for additional higher education including FAA certifications, two-year degrees, or four-year degrees. HCAAT is also part of the W.Va. Department of Education Simulated Workplace classroom experience, which uniquely exposes students to the expectations of business and industry working environments including attendance, safety, drug screening, OSHA 10 requirements, collaboration, diligence, and more. Simulated Workplace helps transform the culture of Career Technical Education by creating high-quality business and industry learning environments.

The HCAAT high school program is helping to ensure that the next generation is ready to keep the aviation industry sector growing and thriving in our community. Sarah said it best, “Mr. Snell is such a blessing to our school and our program.”

Yes he is Sarah and so are you!