[Ed. note: Nellie Sanders of Kingfisher, the newest member of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s cabinet, recently made Kingfi sher High School one of her first stops as the state Secretary of Education. She spoke with members of Kurt Kaya’s aviation class. KHS freshman Savana Reherman is a member of that class and wrote the following article on Sanders’ visit and what it meant to the students in the class.]

The students enrolled in Kurt Kaya’s aviation classes received a pleasant surprise in class recently.

Nellie Sanders, state Secretary of Education, and Christianne Haas, a representative of Governor Kevin Stitt’s office, visited their classroom at Kingfisher High School Monday, Feb. 26.

The aviation classes taught by Kaya serve to prepare students who aspire to become pilots, aircraft engineers and a variety of other careers in the aviation field.

With the aerospace industry being the second-largest industry in Oklahoma, it is crucial to invest in the students that represent the future of this field; which is what Sanders and Haas said they were there to do.

The two arrived at the high school and called Kaya and his students to the aviation room to directly ask about what they needed.

After a bit of discussion, everyone was in consensus that they could always use more funding to be able to further their studies in aviation.

The curriculum itself is free through the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, but the flying lessons, simulators, educational trips and other aspects are expensive.

In addition to asking important questions and learning how to better support these students, Sanders and Haas also shared stories of Governor Stitt’s experience in the world of flight.

The students enjoyed hearing the stories of their governor’s involvement in aviation and that he likes to fly just as much as they do.

“It was a valuable experience for aviation students,” said Isabella Mayberry, a KHS junior in the program.

“We got the opportunity to connect with the board of education and the government and, in turn, so that we could make better connections within the aviation community.”

Kaya and his students are helping to create the future of Oklahoma and they were very happy to know that members of their government were willing to assist in their goals.

The visit not only facilitated a stronger connection between the students and their government, but also highlighted the unwavering support these aspiring aviators have in shaping the future of Oklahoma’s aerospace industry.

Encouragement from an administrative place is certain to push these students to fly higher and dream bigger and, by fostering the students’ knowledge, the government is nurturing a generation of skilled professionals who will undoubtedly contribute to the thriving aerospace sector in Oklahoma and beyond.