High school receives $21,650 AOPA grant to expand aviation program; district buys simulators and drones

Bethany High School’s aviation program received more than $21,650 in grant funding from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), district staff told the board during staff reports. Administrators said the grant will fund equipment including about $5,000 for an additional flight simulator and roughly $2,000–$3,000 for drones. Staff said the program launched three years ago and that Dan Allen and Coach Forrester are overseeing the grant-funded equipment purchases. The district will decide whether to focus future programming on drones, aviation or piloting using the grant resources. The district also noted a planned field trip to the Wiley Post facility tied to the program and praised the students’ behavior during a recent visit. High school staff characterized the grant as an opportunity to expand hands-on technical offerings for students and to leverage external funding rather than relying solely on local budgets. Board members heard the report during the staff reports section; no separate board action was required at the meeting.