WALLOPS ISLAND, VA - Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) joined other state leaders, educators and students at a Wallops Flight Facility hangar to celebrate the Aerospace Academy of the Eastern Shore opening.
The Aerospace Academy is the 15th College Partnership Lab School in the state for students interested in aerospace-specific courses in engineering and data sciences, but the first in Accomack County.
Accomack County Public Schools and Northampton County Public Schools are partnering with Old Dominion University to welcome the first class of students.
Students who attended the ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday heard from speakers including Virginia's Education Secretary and Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (R-VA).
"You got a big mission ahead," Congresswoman Kiggans said during her address. "You're going to be well prepared for when you get out there, but this academy is going to be such an important part of that."
Beginning in 9th grade, students will be able to learn skills specific to jobs in the aerospace industry. Governor Youngkin told WBOC this will help support the growing commercial interest in Wallops Flight Facility and the Eastern Shore.
"I'm really excited about the kinds of talent that we're able to attract," Governor Youngkin said. "That talent wants to live here, that talent wants to raise their family here, and now, all of a sudden, we have the most, I think, advanced space education opportunity in high school anywhere."
Dr. Rachel S. White is the Director of the Aerospace Academy. She said partners are working on recruiting the next class of 9th graders and brainstorming pathways for future upperclassmen into the local aerospace industry.
"It's a growing economy and we need to feed that pipeline," White said. "All the partners that were here today, we're working together on what the 11th and 12th grade pathways are going to be to feed them right into those jobs to feed them into higher education that will then land them back here."
The first day of school at the Aerospace Academy of the Eastern Shore in Accomack County is Tuesday, September 2.