For the second year in a row, Chevron Phillips Chemical has provided support to the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation for Bartlesville Public Schools’ growing aviation program. This year’s $7,000 contribution will support classroom additions.
The aviation and aerospace industry is the second largest in the state and demands a highly technical workforce. In 2022, Bartlesville Public Schools (“BPS”) implemented an Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association “You Can Fly” curriculum to develop aviation-related skills. Over the past three years, student enrollment has more than doubled. In the next few years, BPS administrators expect to have over 200 students consistently enrolled in the program.
Through the aviation curriculum, students learn technical, engineering, and mechanical skills. The courses not only prepare students for careers in aviation, but also give them practical mechanical skills essential for any hands-on job or career in a technical field. Upon graduation, students will be able to fill a broad spectrum of workforce needs in Bartlesville and beyond. Several Bartlesville graduates have already entered flight school and attest that they are significantly ahead of their peers because of the knowledge gained through these high school courses.
Last year, the funds from CP Chem were used to upgrade two classroom spaces, originally built in 1939, and one that served as a choir room, complete with tiered seating. The renovation created a more functional space and allowed the aviation teacher, Ashlee Hightower, to install more flight simulators for her students.
This year, the additional gift will be used to purchase a set of innovative, dry erase desks and chairs. These will replace the current chairs (made for elementary students) and give our high school aviation students more flexibility to work in different size groups and move around the classroom.
Bartlesville Public Schools and the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation are grateful for the support from CP Chem. These funds will allow the aviation program to meet the growing student and workforce demand for the technical skills developed through the program.
Community members are encouraged to contact Blair Ellis, the executive director of the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation, for more information on how they can support this program. She can be reached at ellisb@bps-ok.org and (918) 336-8600 ext. 3523. Supporters can also donate through the Foundation’s website: bpsfoundation.org.