BALTIMORE — Ava Lewis is 17 years old and getting ready to begin her senior year at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute.
She's also a pilot, licensed to fly.
"It seemed out of reach to fly," Lewis told WMAR-2 News. "Flying seemed like something that not everyone can do. The way the scholarship was presented, it was OK you can do this too."
Lewis was awarded a $22,500 scholarship with the Air Force Junior ROTC Flight Academy to earn her private pilot certificate at an accredited aviation university.
She was one of 200 cadets from around the world to do so.
"We found out December 2. We found out that she got into the program and once we got a listing of all the 200, and then also the alternates, we skimmed and Ava was the only one from Maryland who got into the program," said Angela Wilks, Ava's mother.
Lewis finished her eight-week summer course in Indiana, where at no cost, participants can earn a college transcript along with their private pilot license.
The program is an Air Force level initiative to address pilot shortage.
"Every single day we flew," Lewis said. "Some mornings we would get up at 6 a.m. to fly. I know there was a lot of team building and stuff. So on days where we were all soloing, people would wake up early just to see their friends solo."
Lewis said after high school she plans to attend college with an ultimate goal of becoming a pilot in the Air Force.
"Of course, I want to fly for the Air Force as an officer," Lewis said. "I want to fly their big air planes."
Lewis was one of more than 1,300 cadets that applied for the program.
Lewis graduated from the program on August 1.
She starts high school on Monday with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity under her belt.
"Going into it I was only expecting to go there and get the license and leave, but when i got their we kind of connected as a family," Lewis said. "All of the cadets and it was more than just flying, more than just studying. It was a really fun experience and a fun summer and I would go back."
Lewis said it takes a very long time to build up those hours to reach an airline license but she hopes to achieve this it by age 30.
There are so few women that do this.
According to the Air Force, less than seven percent of pilots are women and less than 12 percent are minorities.
