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Seneca High School Cadet Talia Lemyre (12th grade) completed the Air Force Private Pilot Scholarship Program (Air Force JROTC Flight Academy) this summer, earning college credit, her pilot’s license, and the advancement of her dream of becoming a professional pilot.
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“This is a huge accomplishment for Talia,” explained LtCol Greg Sevening, Seneca’s Junior ROTCUSAF instructor. “She endured the challenging eight-week program and she did it! I am so proud of her!” Sevening added.
The Air Force JROTC Flight Academy is a highly selective 8-week summer aviation training program, conducted at partnering universities nationwide.
“I earned the Chief of Staff Airforce JROTC Flight Academy scholarship through the AFJROTC at Seneca,” explained Lemyre. “This scholarship is really a boost to my career.
I’ve known flying is what I wanted to pursue since I was 14. This scholarship, which was roughly $22,000, boosted me ahead in my pursuit of my dream of flying.”
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Lemyre was placed at Spartan College of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma this summer. “It was exactly where I needed to be,” she noted. “With Spartan being a smaller school, each cadet was able to get time and attention from their instructors – along with the perfect flight weather in Tulsa, Oklahoma.”
Lemyre wasn’t always so hopeful she’d be able to make her dream a reality.
She explained:
Aviation is a very difficult field for a black woman to get into. So far, in my experience, I’ve felt welcomed but I know that’s not true for all. Flying is a male-dominated profession and it can be hard for some to get their foot in the door of this small, expensive field.
I am super grateful to have received this opportunity. It was definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I am now working on my tailwheel endorsement and getting back to the routine of high school.
I am working towards continuing my flight career after high school.
Lemyre hopes to see others follow in her path: “I hope to inspire other women like me to join the aviation community, work hard and take every opportunity.”
About LRHSD
The Lenape Regional High School District’s four high schools – Lenape, Shawnee, Cherokee, and Seneca – as well as the Sequoia Alternative Program, educate approximately 6,850 students from eight communities in Burlington County.
The communities served include Evesham, Medford, Medford Lakes, Mount Laurel, Shamong, Southampton, Tabernacle, and Woodland.
The Lenape Regional District is among the highest-achieving districts in the state, with an average graduation rate of 97.4% and an average combined SAT score of 1139.
A leader in progressive education, the LRHSD’s mission is to develop physically and emotionally healthy students who excel in an ever-changing world.