Since its implementation in 2021, Valparaiso High School’s aviation program has taken off with class sizes growing exponentially each year. Department Chair for Engineering Technology Tarik El-Naggar has a class of eight students and a class of 11 students currently enrolled in the program, and there are two classes of 23 on the horizon for next year. As one of only two schools in Indiana to offer on-campus flight simulation training, Valparaiso High School is a proud pioneer of high school aviation programming and is eager to inspire other high schools to offer the same resources to their students. On May 8, Valparaiso High School welcomed a handful of Mount Carmel High School faculty members and students to explore its aviation program and try their hands at the flight simulators.
Dr. Tom Cavanaugh, commercial pilot for airplanes and helicopters at Porter County Regional Airport, first discovered a high school aviation program down in Florida. Having flown out of Porter County Regional Airport for 50 years, he knew firsthand the benefits of becoming a pilot and wanted to bring that aviation programming back home to help high school students discover their passions for aviation at an early age.
“Tarik’s son and my grandson were on the same basketball team. One day, we were sitting in the stands, and I told him, ‘I just came from a school in Florida, and they have a flight program there.’ Tarik then worked with Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and started this program, which has been very successful,” Cavanaugh said.
Equipped with support from technology grants, Porter County Regional Airport, and the Valparaiso community, Valparaiso High School has allotted ample resources to enable students to learn about aviation. These resources include a few flight simulators, thermometers for testing, maps, two labs, and a couple study rooms. El-Naggar is grateful for all the support Valparaiso High School has received to make the aviation program possible.
“We're getting a lot of interest and excitement, especially from parents who recognize this is a viable, non-college career choice,” he said. “What I really love is seeing the students get excited; that’s why we’re here. I also love how much the community has helped. The airport has been super supportive and lets us bring our kids out whenever we want to visit. I have pilots from the airport who will come in here every month or so, and the Cavanaughs have been instrumental in helping me with this program and vision. Dr. Cavanaugh was the one who introduced the idea, so I love having them here and having the community and the school working together.”
After the aviation program was up and running at Valparaiso High School, Dr. Cavanaugh wanted to further spread awareness of high school aviation programming and contacted the faculty at his alma mater, Mount Carmel High School in Chicago. Mount Carmel Physics Teacher and Science Department Coordinator Caribee Collier jumped at the opportunity to tour Valparaiso High School and test its aviation technology alongside fellow faculty and students
“The program and curriculum here are awesome. It’s been great touring the facility and seeing how it can be implemented. Only three years in, it’s already a successful program given that there are two classes of 23 popping up next year. This gives us an idea of what this could become at our school,” Collier said.
A few Valparaiso High School students enrolled in the aviation program guided Mount Carmel faculty and students through flight simulations during the tour. One such student, Junior Meredith Isley, first started flying in April of 2022 and started taking aviation classes at the high school last year. Although she began flying prior to taking aviation courses at Valparaiso High School, she has valued her time in the program and has eagerly navigated the ins and outs of aviation with help from El-Naggar and the aviation technology available at the high school.
“It’s been really great and helped me expand my knowledge, especially with ground and overall maneuvers,” Isley said. “I think it has helped me grow as a pilot. My favorite part has been incorporating the curriculum into the flight simulator so I can plan a cross-country course, fly it, and see if it actually works.”
Whether students want to become full-time pilots, receive their pilot’s license for fun, or simply learn more about aviation, the aviation program can be a great fit for any student.
“If people are interested in the program, they should consider it when they start high school,” Cavanaugh said. “They can at least try it and see what it’s about. The students will love their teacher; Tarik is terrific.”
El-Naggar encourages students to check out the aviation program and get started before senior year so they have the opportunity to continue the program if they enjoy it.