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Thursday, March 28, 2024
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JetBlue Foundation, Black Aerospace Professionals Introduce H.S. Students to Aviation Careers

Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy

On Tuesday, June 25, the JetBlue Foundation brought the Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, in partnership with the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP). The initiative introduces aviation careers to students from backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in the industry.

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

The St. Thomas ACE Academy was held from June 24-28 and included high school students from different regions of the island. On June 25, JetBlue and JetBlue Foundation partially hosted the activities at the University of the Virgin Islands with the first session focusing on careers in aviation and at JetBlue. The day ended with a visit to the Cyril E. King International Airport. This initiative raises awareness about aviation-related careers and provides students with hands-on experience.

During “JetBlue Day,” students had the opportunity to learn directly from JetBlue pilots and other aviation professionals. This summer, the JetBlue Foundation and the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals will host seven ACE Academy programs. In addition to St. Thomas, the program will take place in JetBlue’s focus cities: New York, Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles/Long Beach, Orlando and San Juan, Puerto Rico. In total more than 150 students will participate in the Academy this year.

Each Aviation Career Education Academy includes a complete curriculum with:
Presentations from aviation pioneers and aviation professionals from a wide range of industry careers and airlines;
Special field trips with hands-on flight training from pilots and aviation professionals, certified FAA flight instructors and more;
A program completely run by pilots and other volunteers.

JetBlue Foundation

Admission is offered to high school students, ages 14-18 years old, who have an interest in learning about aviation. Applicants are competitively ranked based on cumulative GPA and an essay portion.

To learn more about the JetBlue Foundation initiatives, visit https://jetbluefoundation.org/ and for more information on OBAP’s ACE Academy, visit https://www.obap.org/ace-academy.

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