Rancho senior eyes career in ever-growing aviation industry
Dabne Anaya, 17, a senior at Rancho High, has been intrigued by airplanes for as long as she can remember, she said. She’s part of the school’s aviation program and dreams of one day flying her own plane.
“Between the ages of 2 and 5, my mom took me to Mexico twice a year,” Anaya said. “I loved to see the flaps on the wings go up and down; they were my whole world. I always knew I had a special place in my heart for airplanes, but I never actually thought ‘pilot’ until now.”
Through a new partnership between Rancho and Allegiant Air, Anaya and other students have access to two $5,000 scholarships sponsored by Allegiant to continue careers in aviation. The deadline to apply for the scholarship is April 1. Anaya has applied.
“I received a $3,000 scholarship from Rancho and I’m currently in the process of getting my private pilot’s certificate,” Anaya said. “I’m hoping to receive the one from Allegiant.”
Allegiant also donated about $400,000 worth of airplane parts so students have access to hands-on learning activities, according to Keith Hansen, Allegiant Air’s vice president of government affairs.
“We started the partnership with Rancho High School last year,” Hansen said. “The goal is to help promote both their maintenance and pilot programs. The industry has a lot of growth coming in the next 15 years, and it will need labor. Rancho is one of those entities preparing the future leaders of the aviation industry.”
“It puts the first step in — that guide to direction,” said 18-year-old senior Cindy Mora. “The aviation field was very unfamiliar to me at first, but there’s just nothing like it.”
Mora and Anaya plan to attend the Southern Utah University’s fixed-wing program in the fall. Both plan to pursue careers in commercial aviation, they said.
“Global and domestic demand for aviation is going to far surpass anyone’s expectations,” Hensen said. “There will be plenty of opportunities.”
Contact Mia Sims at msims@
