From left, Aldair Diego, Maurice Calloway, Aasim Williams, and Dr. Charles A. Wallace II at the Atlantic County Economic Alliance meeting.
SMITHVILLE Members of the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City were honored for their participation in a drone training program during the annual meeting of the Atlantic County Economic Alliance Jan. 18.
Students Aasim Williams and Maurice Calloway, along with BGCAC instructor Aldair Diego, received certificates commemorating their achievements in participating the drone program and as mentors to more than 160 Atlantic City youth in the field of aviation.
The program was made possible by a $40,000 grant from Battelle. The grant was used to create an aviation and drone education curriculum. Representatives of both the BGCAC and Battelle credit the ACEA with getting the program off the ground.
The initiative began in 2022, when promising STEM high school students took an introductory aviation course offered through Atlantic Cape Community College. The high school students earned college credits and worked with BGCAC staff to mentor Atlantic City youth, educating them about the use of drones and career opportunities presented by the aviation industry.
The Battelle grant covered staffing costs, enrollment in the ACCC aviation course, and purchase of equipment, including drones. Seven high school students completed the aviation class and earned college credits.
" Our youth are consistently reminded that success knows no bounds," Dr. Charles A. Wallace II of the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City said. "Through partnerships such as the one forged with Battelle and ACEA, our young members not only gain avenues to unleash their creativity and expand their visions but also find the empowerment to surpass their own imaginations. We are dedicated to nurturing an environment where dreams flourish limitlessly, and collaborations in domains like aviation education equip our youth to navigate unexplored realms and conceive a future brimming with possibilities.
