Oklahoma has been named the top state in the nation for number of schools teaching the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s (AOPA) “You Can Fly” High School Curriculum. According to the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, 57 school districts in the state have signed onto the four-year program for the 2022-2023 academic year. The commission noted that it advocated for the curriculum in order to “ensure that the state’s second-largest industry, aviation and aerospace, will continue to be a major economic driver for the state.”
“I want to make Oklahoma a Top Ten state in every category and I am so proud that Oklahoma is ranked first in the nation for high schools teaching the AOPA curriculum,” said Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt. “Thanks to innovative leadership and the work of Oklahoma Aeronautics, we are helping young people find a passion for aviation and aerospace.”
Available to high schools at no charge, AOPA’s “You Can Fly” curriculum offers aviation-oriented study options via two pathways—pilot and drone—for students in grades nine through twelve. More than 12,000 students in 1,000 classrooms across the U.S. participated this year. The program launched for the 2017-2018 school year and 58 percent of the first set of graduates are reportedly pursuing aviation-related careers.
