LUNENBURG — Shelby Scorse, the daughter of Jeff and Sonya Scorse of Lunenburg, is one of three youths who have won an aviation scholarship from the Greater Boston Experimental Airplane Association Chapter 106. The scholarship covers tuition and airfare to attend the eight-day EAA Advanced Air Academy in Oshkosh, Wis., this summer.
The annual EAA Chapter 106 Youth Scholarship was established in 2012 to expand the aviation knowledge of youth in New England who have demonstrated their passion for aviation. All three of this year’s scholarship winners are working to earn money to pay for their own flight lessons, yet have maintained A’s and honors intheir academics.
Shelby, a junior at Lunenburg High School, has logged more than 18 hours of flight time — split between a Citabria 7ECA, a Cessna 150 and 172 — and pays for her own flight lessons. She started by working as a barn assistant, baby sitter and math tutor, and now works a year-round job as a library assistant and a summer job at an ice cream shop.
As one of only seven members of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association AV8RS Teen Advisory Council, Shelby says she “believes it is important to see that young people who are passionate about aviation have the tools that they need to succeed and the support group to build them up as both young adults and aviators.”
Shelby takes high level math classes, took a meteorology class and will be taking honors physics next year. She says she is eager to attend the aviation camp to “learn about everything from building a plane to navigation.”
The EAA Air Academy offers youth ages 16-18 the opportunity to meet and work with aviation professionals, while living and learning the arts, sciences, and lore of aviation in both classroom and workshop settings.