THEIR EYES ON THE SKIES.Byline: CONNIE LLANOS llanos (yä`nōs), Spanish American term for prairies, specifically those of the Orinoco River basin of N South America, in Venezuela and E Colombia. Special to the Daily News When Jocelin Silva was a little girl in Mexico, she would watch the airplanes fly above her small town, daydreaming of the people on board, the places they were going and what wonderful things they would see. Tuesday, as Silva stood among the planes on the LAX tarmac, she couldn't contain her enthusiasm. ``I am never going to forget this,'' the Monroe High School For other uses, see James Monroe High School. Monroe High School may refer to:
Silva is one of 10 students participating in the Aviation Career Education Academy, a weeklong summer program designed to introduce high school students to careers in aviation. The ACE program began seven years ago and was organized by Los Angeles World Airports Los Angeles World Airports or LAWA is the airport oversight and operations department for the city of Los Angeles, California. This department owns and operates Los Angeles International Airport, LA/Ontario International Airport, Palmdale Regional Airport, and Van to get community children interested and involved in aviation. Initially targeting high school students near Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. International exclusively, the program grew to include middle school students and, three years ago, students living near Van Nuys Airport Van Nuys Airport (IATA: VNY, ICAO: KVNY, FAA LID: VNY) is a public airport located in Van Nuys, California in the San Fernando Valley, within the Los Angeles city limits. . A recent graduate of Sylmar High, Spencer Wohlers said his love of all things aerial started in the Pacoima Wash when he and his dad used to launch model rockets. ``The more people in the air, the less people on the road,'' the 17-year-old joked. Christian Chaidez, a 16-year-old junior from Mission Hills private school Bishop Alemany High, said he wants to go into aviation engineering. Chaidez, who said his mother is his biggest motivator, is also a guitarist in a mariachi band and said he'll be telling other students to participate in the program next year. ``The younger we get involved the better,'' he said. Marvin Escobar participated in the ACE program during the summer of 2000 and now works as an administrative assistant for American Airlines American Airlines Major U.S. airline. American was created through a merger of several smaller U.S. airlines and incorporated in 1934. It continued to buy the routes of other airlines, becoming an international carrier in the 1970s; its routes include South America, the . He remembers clearly how a battery-operated Pan Am 747 toy airplane given to him by his mother sparked his love of flying, and the ACE program helped to make that dream a reality. ``I'm walking the same halls I walked six years ago,'' Escobar, 22, said. ``I look at plaques that have my face on them, and I think I made it up there.'' Originally from Panama, Escobar obtained his degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is a not-for-profit, non-sectarian, coeducational private university with a history dating back to the early days of aviation. . ``I wouldn't say the ACE program opened the doors, but it opened my eyes,'' he said. ``Kids need to know there is more out there than PlayStations.'' ``This is a critical time for these kids,'' said Diana Sanchez, a Los Angeles World Airports spokeswoman. ``We can introduce them to careers they never knew existed, and the field of aviation can continue growing. For Silva, the program has not only given her a chance to see, first-hand, all she dreamed of as a child, but a chance to defy stereotypes and overcome challenges. She lives with an aunt and a cousin. She left both her parents in Mexico two years ago, determined to pursue her dream to become a Latina pilot. ``People tell me I'm crazy "I'm Crazy" is a short story written by J. D. Salinger in 1945 for Collier's magazine. From all his short stories involving Holden Caulfield, this one is most similar to Catcher In The Rye, as it simply recounts well-known scenes with Mr. to want to be a pilot, but I tell them I am going to try,'' she said. ``I came to this country because I knew there were more opportunities. I know I have to prove myself, but I wanted a challenge and I will overcome it.'' CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) High school students peer into an airliner engine during an LAX tour, part of Van Nuys Airport's Aviation Careers Education Academy. (2) El Camino Real High School El Camino Real High School (also known locally as "ECR" and by some more recently as "ELCO") is a public secondary school located in the Woodland Hills district of the San Fernando Valley region of the city of Los Angeles, California. student Mark Slater uses binoculars to view airliners in flight at Los Angeles International Airport “LAX” redirects here. For other uses, see LAX (disambiguation). “KLAX” redirects here. For other uses, see KLAX (disambiguation). Los Angeles International Airport (IATA: LAX, ICAO: KLAX, FAA LID: LAX on Tuesday. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer |
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