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TYRONE -- Though many Tyrone Area High School students are excited for summer vacation to begin in eight weeks, some are just as eager to return to school next year when the district begins a new aviation class.
The class was added to the ninth grade curriculum for the 2025-26 school year as part of the changes made to the school's course description booklet school board members approved in February.
Kristen Pinter, director of curriculum and instruction, said the class is designed to expose students to career paths they might not otherwise hear about and to take their interests in aviation-related careers to new heights.
Although the class is limited to 16 students, 26 signed up to take it, according to Kermit Foor, who is teaching the class next school year in what will be his fourth year at the district.
Over the summer, Foor will receive some professional development opportunities to be able to teach the class, which he said he's looking forward to because he enjoyed instructing an aviation class while student teaching at Trinity High School, Washington County.
"It was a really cool program, and I thought it would be really cool if I could integrate this someday into a school district that I'm permanently hired on," Foor said, noting he jumped at the opportunity to teach the class when it became available.
"I thought it would be a way to broaden the kids' horizons on different career paths," he said.
The class' curriculum was designed by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Details of what specific units the class will address are still being ironed out, Foor said, but it will include both theoretical and historical concepts, as well as hands-on opportunities for students to work with simulation programs.
The school's course description booklet states students will be introduced to aviation and aerospace themes through topics such as hot air balloons, gliders, commercial airline service, women in aviation, modern aircraft design and more.
"It's going to be a learning experience for both the students and me, but I think it will be a very good thing to have here," Foor said.
On the first day of class, Foor will see some familiar faces in his classroom, like eighth graders Brenson Davis and Hayden Brown, whom he taught in other classes as sixth and seventh graders.
Davis said he's excited to take aviation because he wants to be a pilot one day.
"When I was little, I always loved watching stuff about planes. I've been in a few planes whenever I've traveled," Davis said, adding the class seemed "really cool" when he signed up for it.
At that time, Davis said he wasn't aware that Foor would be teaching the class.
"I found out afterward, but I'm really proud that he is because I think he's going to be great at it," Davis said.
Brown agreed, adding he's interested in the class because he wants to learn about space exploration.
"I figured that would be a gateway if I go to college to give me a boost on that knowledge," he said.
Luckily for Brown, a pacing guide for the class indicates a unit on the space race could be included.
Foor said it's exciting for him to enter his fourth year with the district and see a lot of repeat students.
"I love working for Tyrone. It's a great environment to work in," Foor said, noting his students and Chad Packer, the school's principal, are "great."