Students in Dubois County are quite literally reaching new heights thanks to a Southridge High School Aviation Program, making it a standout choice for this year’s Indiana Uplands STEM Innovation Award.
The STEM Innovation Award recognizes a program or organization that has made meaningful and novel contributions to STEM education or training in the Indiana Uplands.
Southridge High School hosts the Aviation Program alongside the Huntingburg Regional Airport as part of the Patoka Valley Cooperative, which provides Career and Technical Education programming across four school districts.
Regional Opportunity Initiatives Vice President of Talent Development Michi McClaine presented the award to those involved in the program, including educators, aviation professionals, students, and parents, during ROI’s Annual Report to the Region on Feb. 18 in French Lick.
The Aviation Program began at the start of the 2020-2021 school year, and today, 27 students from seven high schools are enrolled, with the majority of these aspiring pilots coming from high schools in Dubois County. Of the 27 students, 10 are enrolled in the Aviation Management Capstone program, as second-year aviation students. Seventeen are participating in the first-year Aviation Safety Operations program.
For one parent, her son’s participation in the program shaped his post-high school pathway.
“My son has always had a fascination with flying, and the aviation program gave him the chance to turn that dream into a reality. From learning how to read flight charts to spending hours flying a plane, every experience was an essential step toward his future as a pilot,” she explained in her award nomination.
In addition to developing technical skills, students explore diverse career paths in aviation, from piloting to aerospace engineering, building confidence and discipline in the process.
“By providing hands-on, real-world STEM education, this program is not only opening doors to scholarships and careers but also revitalizing the airport environment and strengthening the aviation workforce—exemplifying the kind of meaningful and innovative student opportunities that the STEM Innovation Award celebrates,” McClaine said.
Accepting the award on behalf of the aviation program were:
Chip Mehaffey, Superintendent of SW Dubois County School Corporation
Greg Gogel, Principal of Southridge High School
Melissa Boeglin, Southridge Director of Curriculum and Assessment
Dustin Betz, Aviation Instructor
Travis McQueen, Huntingburg Municipal Airport Airport Manager
Luke Trout, Southridge High School graduate, current college aviation student
Reese Futrell Katterhenry, current Southridge High School aviation student
Annette Trout, Renee Katterhenry, and Nathan Ahrens, parents of aviation students