The skies above Gainesville were filled with hope and inspiration on June 28 as the 100 Black Men of Greater Florida GNV Inc. hosted its 7th annual Aviation Academy.
Spearheaded by Capt. David Bridges, a seasoned pilot who personally flew participants throughout the event, the academy brought families together for a weekend of exposure, education and empowerment.
Held at Gainesville Regional Airport, the Aviation Academy is one of several transformative programs organized by the nonprofit organization.
Its mission, as emphasized by President and Chairman Matt Bowman, is clear: “What they see, they will be.”
The academy provides a unique opportunity for young people to experience aviation firsthand.
For many families, the Aviation Academy wasn’t just a weekend event, it was a life-changing experience.
With programs continuing throughout the year, 100 Black Men of Greater Florida GNV Inc. believes that when young people are given wings, they soar.
“Aviation, agriculture, energy — these are our focus areas,” Bowman said. “We’re doing a series of academies, so that will be our strategy. If you have a child or a teenager or a young adult, who is interested in any of these fields, aviation, energy, science and technology, and even vocations, we are focusing on making productive citizens.”
Dakari and Davari Mackey, brothers and rising high school seniors, traveled from Orlando to attend the academy.
“We had an amazing experience,” Dakari Mackey said. “The pilots are amazing, and they have a passion for flying, and they want to spread it with the youth, spread it with us, and get us to try and join the aviation field.”
Davari Mackey expressed similar sentiments.
“We’re getting to see new things before going off to college, get new ideas to see what we want do,” Dakari Mackey said. “I’m very grateful. It’s an amazing community here. A lot of good guys to look up to.”
The event wasn’t just about getting in the cockpit; it was about planting seeds of curiosity and confidence, organizers said.
Donald Long, a 100 Black Men member and Newberry city commissioner, shared how the academy changed his nephew’s life.
“He had never flown before,” Long said. “Now he’s in his senior year and wants to be a pilot. Exposure is everything. Kids can’t dream of what they’ve never seen.”
Parents were just as moved by the experience.
Cyd Medina of Lake City brought her children — ages 7, 9 and 13 — to the Aviation Academy.
“It’s our first year, and I wish we’d known about it sooner,” she said. “This program shows them there’s more out there than just school. Aviation has always been a passion of mine, and now I can encourage them to explore it, too.”
Participants spoke with real pilots, boarded aircraft and flew under the steady guidance of Bridges and other pilots.
The awe in the children’s faces as they lifted off the ground and came back to the University Air Center captured the purpose behind the academy.
“The Gainesville community and the entire community is invested in the children,” Bowman said. “This is the best place in the country to live, and I think that the Aviation Academy and the work that the 100 Black Men and other organizations do is a reflection of that.”
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