Marana High School is hosting the Marana Aviation Fair on Tuesday, Sept. 27, to celebrate all things aeronautical.
They’ll have flight simulators on site, vendors explaining the ins and outs of aviation from training and education programs and financing to job opportunities, in addition to performances by circus trapeze artists, student performers and the school’s choirs.
It’s all part of celebrating Marana Unified School District’s new aviation technology program that started this fall at Marana and Mountain View high schools. MUSD is the only district in Pima County to offer an aviation program on site; other districts offer it through the Joint Technical Educational District at Pima Community College.
“It’s such a big industry in Pima County and the job opportunities are huge for our kids,” said Cathie Raymond, head of MUSD’s career and technical education program.
According to recent Pima County economic reports, between 20,000 and 30,000 people are employed in the aerospace industry in Southern Arizona.
Tucson is among the top five areas in the country for aerospace, county reports state.
Raymond said 19 students are enrolled in the Mountain View aviation program, while 10 are enrolled in Marana.
Most of the students are juniors and seniors taking the two-period class every day, she said.
Raymond said the district wants to expand and grow the program, including adding an introduction to aviation class as early as next fall for freshman and sophomores.
Ironically, Tuesday’s Marana Aviation Fair started long before the district unveiled its aviation program. It was born out of a concert planned a year ago by Sarah Ross, director of the Marana High School choirs.
Ross had decided that her choirs first concert of the 2016-17 school year would focus on flight. Joel Glunt, a pilot and father of one of Ross’ students, suggested that Ross incorporate the new aviation program and turn it into an event.
“Joel and I said wouldn’t it be great if we could do this thing, and we went to (aviation program instructor Roy Gorris) and said, ‘Roy, we’re going to do this thing and we want you to be part of it’,” Ross said.
Hence the festival.
Marana Aviation Fair will include demonstrations and exhibits from more than 25 vendors and exhibitors including flight simulators, aviation and aeronautics employers and college representatives.
The choir concert “Flight” will be in the Marana High Auditorium at the end of the festival at 7 p.m.
