Seventeen Panama senior GEAR UP students recently toured Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in Tulsa, OK. The Education Partnership Manager, Val Yang, greeted the students. She showed a short video, and then Mechanics instructor, Ed Medford, visited with the students explaining what they do and the types of careers available to students. They answered questions and toured the North Facility where the Aviation Maintenance Technology students learn how to repair, replace, and maintain the airframe and the power plant components of aircrafts. The tour ended with students traveling to the Spartan College Flight Facility on Cessna Drive in Jenks, Ok. JR Cooper, the Senior Flight Admission Representative, greeted the students. He took the students on a tour of the school’s Aviation program, where their students learn to fly. Before returning to Panama, the students enjoyed an all-you-can-eat buffet at the Golden Corral.
The field trip was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP. Eastern received a $17 million federal GEAR UP grant in 2017 and will serve over 3,000 students in 39 area schools for seven years.
