Students at Academy @ Shawnee take flight through Louisville’s aviation magnet program

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The sky isn’t the limit — it’s just the beginning for a group of students at Louisville’s Academy @ Shawnee, where a unique aviation program is helping young people turn dreams of flight into reality.

Thursday, the school hosted its annual “Girls in Aviation Day,” an event that connects students with aviation professionals, pilots and engineers from across the industry.

For freshman Riley Lush, it was more than just an event — it was a chance to step inside the cockpit and see her future.

“I’m in the aviation program. I got family in the aviation industry,” Lush said moments after climbing into a flight simulator. “My goal in life is to fly. That’s basically what I want to do — join the military and just fly as much as I can.”

Lush said she’s following in her brother’s footsteps. He’s now a senior at Eastern Kentucky University and a licensed pilot who also got his start at the Academy @ Shawnee.

“My other brother also goes to the school. He’s also in the aviation program,” she said. “He’s currently at Bowman Field and also wants to be a pilot.”

The school’s aviation magnet gives students the opportunity to earn real flight hours before graduation — and in some cases, even a pilot’s license.

“That is one of my main goals,” Lush said. “This is exactly why I come to school — for the aviation so I can be a pilot.”

School leaders said the event is designed to show young women that the aviation industry isn’t just for men.

“Right now, our young ladies are walking around, meeting different professionals in the aviation industry,” said Patrick Johnson, a counselor at the Academy @ Shawnee. “They’re learning about different career paths, how to fly planes, potentially working on planes, and even internship opportunities.”

The event included more than 15 partners, including UPS, the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, and OVEC — all working to expose students to the growing demand for aviation jobs.

“It’s a new day at Shawnee,” Johnson said. “It’s legacy for a lot of people.”

One of those legacies is Captain Raymond Robinson, who started flying in the Air Force more than 30 years ago and now flies for UPS. Robinson says mentoring the next generation of pilots — especially those from Shawnee — is a full-circle moment.

“I started in the Air Force about 34 years ago, and then I joined UPS about 25 years ago,” Robinson said. “We actually have about four pilots that have come through the Shawnee program that are flying at UPS now.”

He said the industry needs not just pilots, but also mechanics, air traffic controllers and engineers.

“There’s folks that have to design these systems that we fly,” Robinson said. “The realm of possibilities are certainly there.”

And for young women like Lush, the possibilities are endless.

“Aviation is mostly men in the career, and not a lot of women are pilots,” she said. “So I think it’s a good opportunity for girls who want to be in aviation, but they don’t exactly know where to start.”

Lush said her next stop will likely be the Air Force or Navy, before eventually flying for a commercial airline or even for herself.

“Being this young and starting out to fly — it’s very rare,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity for a lot of kids.”

At the Academy @ Shawnee, it’s clear that for students like Riley, the sky is just the beginning.

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