LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Throughout the month of May Team XL hosted San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District (SFDRCISD) middle school students for a series of tours highlighting the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program offerings at Laughlin.
The visits offered a firsthand experience of how CTE contributes to the workforce and mission of Laughlin in partnership with UT Austin’s Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), a U.S. Department of Education-funded college and post-secondary career access and awareness initiative that helps low-income and historically underrepresented students prepare for and succeed in higher education.
"This tour benefited our eighth-grade students by providing a real-world look at CTE careers," said Anna Hawkinson-Torres, UT Austin GEAR UP site coordinator. "While CTE ambassadors previously visited the students during a career fair, this visit offered a practical look at this career path. Opportunities like this help students connect their classroom learning to future career goals."
Students had the opportunity to visit the Laughlin flightline, T-6 A Texan II and T-38C Talon weather shelters, and the 47th Maintenance Directorate (MXD) component repair division, tire shop, and Aerospace Ground Equipment department. They also received a hands-on demonstration of maintenance on a T-6 ejection seat.
The district's CTE program provides high school students with opportunities in fields ranging from cybersecurity and culinary arts to law enforcement and maintenance. Since 1976, the district has focused on the Grow Your Own program, an initiative that cultivates student interest in aviation careers by mentoring the next generation of maintainers.
“The goal was to show them that this program is for anyone who likes hands-on training and is willing to challenge themselves by trying something new,” said Abraham Herrera, CTE aircraft maintenance instructor. “Having two high school seniors, Alfredo Garcia and Paola Narvaez, also helped show that both male and female students can succeed in the program and grow as individuals.”
While the Grow Your Own track officially begins during a student's sophomore year, the tours encouraged students to consider their academic futures and career prospects early.
"I believe these tours help students by providing a firsthand look at the pilot training process," Herrera said. "They demonstrate the major role every person plays in the Grow Your Own program and highlight the diverse skills students can gain in the aircraft industry."
To learn more about the CTE programs offered through SFDRCISD and Laughlin contact the Laughlin School Program Liaison Office at 47FSS.FSY.SLO@us.af.mil.