MUKILTEO, Wash. — A Mukilteo student will be taking to the sky this summer as part of an intensive eight-week U.S. Navy Summer Flight Academy.
Zander Hamilton, a student at Red Hawks Flight Academy in Mukilteo, was just one of 20 high-performing 11th and 12th graders across the country selected to participate in the program.
"I'm really grateful for this opportunity to be doing this program over the summer," Hamilton said. "I'm really excited. This is the next step in achieving my dreams."
Hamilton will undergo 32 hours of classroom aviation instruction and 49 hours of flight training at Deleware State University. He will also be required to complete 17 hours of solo flights. At the end of the program, Hamilton will have earned his FAA Private Pilot's license and five college credits.
The program was created in 2021 to increase diversity in the field of aviation. The cost of the program is approximately $24,000 per student, but is offered at zero cost with no obligations. The Department of the Navy sponsors the program for students participating in Navy and Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps.
“The goal of the scholarship program is to expose exceptional minority students to a career path that currently lacks diversity,” said Commander Chris “Frozone” Williams, a Navy fighter pilot, instructor, and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “Zander Hamilton has what it takes to be a leader in the field of aviation, and the Navy is honored to play a part in his personal and professional journey.”
