AOPA Foundation named charter champion

Each year, Greenville Technical Charter High School names “Charter Champions” to recognize “community members who believe in the power of school choice, who are committed to ensuring that every child has a quality option for free, public education and who are persistent in their efforts to improve the outcomes for our children.”

The school has a robust aviation program, thanks to the dedication of program founder Doug Adomatis—who was trained by AOPA when the high school curriculum was launched in 2018. Adomatis is a champion of aviation education in his own right, spearheading aviation education efforts throughout the state.

“The GTCHS innovative pathway acted as a model for other South Carolina School Districts who are now using it to prepare future pilots, aerospace engineers, and aircraft maintenance workers to enter the workforce,” the school noted in a press release.

Adomatis also recently led the first South Carolina state aviation competition—AviCom 2023.

In a March 30 ceremony, students, parents, and members of the Greenville community gathered to celebrate the 2023 Charter Champions, with students sharing anecdotes about in-class activities and benefits of the curriculum.

“The AOPA Foundation High School STEM Curriculum has impacted our students, our school, and our community at large,” said Atomatis in a testimonial video about the AOPA Foundation’s award. “We just want to say thank you. These kids are growing up and becoming mechanics and pilots and engineers… The sky is no longer a limitation.”

Glenn Ponas, director of high school outreach for the AOPA You Can Fly program, accepted the award on behalf of the AOPA Foundation.

“The AOPA Foundation’s mission is to serve our members, and by extension, the teachers, administrators, and board members who work tirelessly to introduce students across the nation to the wide range of high-skill, high-demand careers in the aerospace industry,” said Ponas. “We’re here tonight to celebrate champions. But I believe the true champions are Doug Adomatis and the 530 teachers in 400 schools preparing 16,000 students for aerospace STEM careers.”

South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette was also present at the event to receive a Charter Champion designation for her work with the state legislature that created stable funding for South Carolina public charter schools and her continued support of facility funding for charter schools.

The You Can Fly program is funded by charitable donations to the AOPA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. To be a part of the solution, visit www.aopafoundation.org/donate.