More Than 70 Students From Clark County's Ranchero High School Will Look At Aviation Careers Thursday

As industry leaders from around the world gather in Las Vegas this week for the 2013 NBAA Convention and Exhibition, they will be joined on Thursday, Oct. 24, for Careers in Business Aviation Day by an ambitious and special group of local high school students ready to stake their claim as the future of aviation.

More than 70 students from Clark County’s Rancho High School are part of this elite group who, thanks to a partnership with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Worldwide Campus, will graduate from high school with up to 24 college credits, highly valuable skills and university-level experience in aerospace and aviation education.
 
Rancho High School is home to Embry-Riddle Worldwide’s only STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program in Nevada. In its first year, the program currently has 74 students who are studying introduction to engineering, computing for engineering, graphical communications and general aeronautics and applications. By participating in the program, students can earn college credits while in high school. Classes are taught by high school faculty trained by Embry-Riddle professionals. Worldwide supports six additional STEM programs at schools in Arizona. “Embry-Riddle is committed to incorporating quality STEM curriculum into high schools around the country,” said Embry-Riddle Worldwide Chancellor Dr. John Watret, who along with other university officials visited Rancho High School this week. “We are excited to support a passion for aviation and aerospace among these students who aspire to be a part of the next generation of industry pioneers and leaders.”
 
Students from Rancho also represent the highest percentage of any high school at the university’s residential campus in Prescott, Ariz., and largest incoming freshman class from any single high school. “At Rancho High School, and particularly in our Aviation Academy, we believe in focusing on STEM-related skills and careers,” said Rancho High School Principal Dr. James Kuzma. “An education emphasizing science, technology, engineering and math is critical for students of the 21st Century. Our partnership with Embry-Riddle allows our students to explore STEM-related courses with more rigor and more depth than might otherwise be available through a strictly high-school level course,” Dr. Kuzma added. “More importantly, students are able to earn a significant amount of college credit through Embry-Riddle, giving them an edge over their peers.”
 
The impact of this relationship between high school students and the university expands beyond the classroom and into the workforce.
 
The Nevada Governor’s Workforce Investment Board established industry sector councils, including the Aerospace and Defense Sector Council, to bring together key professionals for the purpose of addressing the delivery of industry-specific training and workforce development initiatives in support of the state's economic development goals.  The Nevada Aerospace and Defense Sector Council is chaired by Embry-Riddle Worldwide’s Dr. Ken Witcher, Dean of the College of Aeronautics, and membership includes Dr. Kuzma and Dr. Bobby McMasters, Associate Dean of the College of Business, who offer their experience with quality aerospace education to support the council’s mission of providing a highly qualified and diverse workforce to assist with growing the aerospace and defense industry within Nevada.

FMI: www.nbaa.org/events/bace/2013/students