PORTLAND, Ore. — A supplemental educational club in Portland is giving youth in the community the chance to take off to new heights by providing the building blocks to not only propel in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and aviation, but also gain life skills.
Urban Wings and Aerospace Leadership Club provides a space for students who, as the club states on its website, have the "greatest need." The students meet at the Vanport International Flight Stimulator Lab located at the One Hope Fellowship Church in North Portland.
"This community isn't judgmental at all. They're so nice and supportive, and they just keep teaching me more and more," said Sarenity Allen, an elementary school student in the club.
With aviation at its core, Urban Wings explores the holistic development of the students through hands-on learning strategies, using applied mathematics and related STEM activities. It also focuses on character development, with a special focus on the first Black military aviators, the Tuskegee Airmen: their courage, aviation prowess, perseverance, loyalty, education and leadership.
Students have the opportunity to practice on flight simulators, travel across the country, network and gain leadership and life skills.
Sarenity said she has learned many aviation skills by practicing on the flight simulators, such as how to land, take off and use a throttle. When asked if she sees herself being a pilot when she gets older, Sarenity confidently stated yes.
"It is a club. Not a program. It's designed to bring young people — particularly black and brown young people — into the field of aviation, engineering, applied mathematics, and have a career,” said Michael "Chappie" Grice, educator and director of Urban Wings.
The students meet a few times each month under the guidance and mentorship of rising pilots within the community, as well as graduates of the club.
Grice said the club isn't only building future pilots but budding citizens in society.
"We're building citizens, people who participate in their community and make their community better," he said.
The club also provides a space for the students to build genuine, lifelong friendships.
"We're kind of a ma and pa store, a corner grocery store, as opposed to a supermarket. We like it that way because it's intimate; you can see the friendship among those pilots," Grice said. "We get a lot of cooperation from the pilots."
The students also learn important history along the way, including about the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.
"Aviation gives us an opportunity to explore African-American history, because we focus on the character, the courage and the commitment to achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen," Grice said.
It's a history Grice is passionate about sharing. His own road to aviation was through a dear friend, Robert Strickland, a retired air force engineer who founded the club previously called "Center for Airway Science." When he passed away in 2008, Strickland left Grice the club to carry on.
"He died and left me the program. So I was obligated to pick up the pieces and carry it forward. So we've been doing that informally, since 2008, more formally since 2012 and in 2015," Grice said.
Mathias Thelus is one of Grice's former students who went on to work in aviation. Now Thelus gives back by mentoring students in the club. Thelus and Grice first crossed paths in 2009, when Thelus was in fifth grade.
"At one point, Mr. Grice was taller than me," Thelus said. "Now I'm taller than him, so that says a lot."
Thelus currently has a private pilot license but is working towards his commercial multi-engine license. He said he never would have considered the idea of being a pilot if Grice hadn't exposed him to Urban Wings.
"Having a program like this really makes a difference. It's a vessel for the kids," Thelus said.
Eric Owens has a teenage daughter, Naomi Owens, in the club. He said the club helps elevate students.
"It's a great program. You know, I think it's geared to help, especially like inner city kids, give them a support system to be able to do different things that they regularly would not be able to do," Owens said.
Larissa Williams said she sees the value in the club for her nephew and future generations.
"It will be nice when he becomes a pilot. And, yeah, he'll get to teach other kids how to become a pilot and fly," Williams said. "Oh yeah, and he can fly me to Vegas."