For Butler Tech Aviation students, becoming a pilot is not a distant goal. It is something they are actively working toward every day, in the classroom, in the simulator and in the sky.
For senior Garrett Garcia, that journey recently reached a milestone that few high school students can claim. He flew himself to school.
Landing at the Butler Tech Aviation Center at Middletown Regional Airport, Garrett’s flight was not just a personal accomplishment. It was a reflection of the level of training, discipline and real-world experience students in the program are gaining before graduation.
Garrett, a student in the Pilot Pathway and a Phase 3 scholarship recipient, has already earned his Private Pilot License and is continuing to build flight hours while working toward his Instrument Rating. He is also gaining experience working the line at the airport and pursuing his long-term goal of becoming an agricultural pilot.
His experience is one example of what is happening across the program.
Through the Butler Tech Aviation scholarship program, supported by community and industry partners, $28,000 in flight training scholarships have been awarded to eight students, helping remove one of the most significant barriers to entering the field. Recipients include Evan Malay (Lakota East), Connor Kiernan (Lakota West), Adrian Alegre Alejo (Colerain), Holden Robinson (Madison), Nick Guba (Monroe), Jaxon Gillespie (Lakota East), Garrett Garcia (Ross) and Clara Cradduck (Talawanda).
Flight training requires a significant financial investment, often making it difficult for students to progress. Through this scholarship program, that burden is reduced, allowing students to focus on what matters most: learning, training and gaining experience.
For Adrian Alegre Alejo, the scholarship has created momentum.
“Receiving this scholarship has helped me jumpstart my flight training and really motivated me to keep working hard toward my goal of becoming a private pilot,” Alejo said. “The scholarship is providing me with a foundation that will help me progress through my solo and eventually earn my private pilot license. My long-term goal is to become a flight instructor and a commercial pilot.”
Students in the program are not waiting until after graduation to begin their careers. They are actively training, logging flight hours and gaining experience in a real airport environment.
For Jaxon Gillespie, who is already approximately 40 hours into his flight training, the financial support allows him to stay focused on reaching those milestones.
“Cost is one of the biggest barriers in flight school, and reducing that pressure allows students like me to focus on learning,” Gillespie said. “This scholarship represents Butler Tech’s belief in my potential and motivates me to keep moving forward toward my goal of becoming a pilot.”
That progress includes solo flights, cross-country requirements and nighttime training, all essential steps toward earning a Private Pilot License.
Beyond technical skill, students are developing the discipline and confidence required to succeed in aviation.
“If it were easy, everyone would do it. Discipline is what sets pilots apart,” Gillespie said.
Students in the Aviation program are not limited to the classroom. Just as they would for a co-op or internship, students leave campus during the school day to complete flight lessons, log hours and train in real-world conditions at the airport.
With that level of independence comes responsibility, and for many families, trust.
“I’m very transparent with my parents about how flight training works, and they understand how much you have to go through just to get to the point where you can even step into the airplane alone,” Gillespie said. “They trust the process, and that’s where that trust comes from.”
The Butler Tech Aviation program, located at the Aviation Center at Middletown Regional Airport, provides an immersive environment that mirrors the aviation industry. Students train in a setting where they can build connections, gain experience and explore a wide range of career opportunities before they graduate.
For students like Garrett, Adrian and Jaxon, those opportunities are already translating into real progress.
Flying solo. Logging hours. Building careers.
This is what transforming lives looks like…from the classroom to the cockpit.
L-R: Adrian Alegre Alejo, Jaxon Gillespie, Garrett Garcia