News Release: High Schoolers Discover Career Opportunities at 2026 Girls in Aviation Day

[ST. LOUIS, MO/Nov. 10, 2026] Area high school girls got an up-close look at careers in aviation on Friday, Oct. 23, as the Saint Louis University (SLU) Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science and SLU's Women in Aviation International (WAI) chapter hosted the 2026 Girls in Aviation Day at St. Louis Downtown Airport in Cahokia Heights, Ill.

 The annual event opens doors and sparks curiosity for area high school girls through the opportunity to network with aviation leaders, gather information on career opportunities in the aviation and aerospace industry, and engage in interactive activities related to aviation – from flying planes in flight simulators to climbing into the cockpit of various aircraft. While the aviation industry features career opportunities for everyone, women are often the minority in this field. Girls in Aviation Day aims to better represent women in the aviation industry as they educate more young women on industry career paths and opportunities, showing them that they are capable of entering these jobs and shaping the aviation industry.

“We always look forward to hosting this annual career event in conjunction with SLU’s department of aviation science,” said Sandra Shore, director of St. Louis Downtown Airport. “Fostering curiosity among young women and reminding them that their imagination can soar as they explore a whole range of aviation career opportunities is what this event is all about. These young women are the industry’s future leaders.”

This year’s event included keynote speaker, Riya Srambichira, a SLU flight school alumni who is now a commercial pilot. She shared how her curiosity for aviation began as a young child and blossomed into a career in her adulthood. Srambichira encouraged the high school women to defy the world's expectations and to keep going, even when doubt creeps in.

"You do not have to shrink your dreams to fit inside someone else's understanding of the world, and there's going to be times that people are going to doubt you," said Srambichira. "There might even be times where you doubt yourself, but you can choose to keep learning, keep showing up, and keep working towards your goals."

Srambichira noted that, while the path to get to the captain seat may be rocky, it's inspiring to see that the number of women in the field is growing.

"Getting here was not always easy," said Srambichira. "Aviation is an incredible field, but it's also a field where women are still very underrepresented, especially in the flight deck. Currently, women make up about 9% of the total population. And when I started here back in 2018, that number was at 7%. So, there's a lot more women pursuing this field... And it's because of events like this."

One student from Clyde C. Miller Career Academy, Deion Smittie, came to this event for the first time with the curiosity Srambichira encouraged.

"I was not actually interested in aviation. I want to do architectural engineering, but I think I might do aviation after coming here today," said Smittie. "It was pretty fun walking around, learning about the other places and everything with the airplanes."

This year, a variety of businesses and non-profits came to Girls in Aviation Day to demonstrate how a career path at their organization connects women to aviation and aerospace. Vendors included companies that engineer and manufacture airplane parts and aircraft, commercial airline companies, non-profits that use aircraft to help people in medical situations, and educational opportunities for women who want to enter aviation and aerospace. 

During the panel discussion and Q&A time, students heard from the perspectives of a recent SLU alumni and flight school instructor, Sydney Nimerick, and two current SLU flight school students, Lana Pickeral and Bella Castro. These three women discussed their hopes and dreams as well as the challenges of entering a male-dominated industry.

"It can be hard sometimes being the only woman around, but that's why I really love it," said Pickeral, who is the secretary of SLU's Women in Aviation International chapter. "I found my community with all the other female pilots who are here, and that's why I love being at Girls in Aviation every year and seeing all the younger women who are interested in aviation." 

Pickeral wants to be a flight instructor after graduating, and then she would like to work internationally – a lofty goal that can be achieved with determination and courage.

As Srambichira said, "Be curious enough to ask what's possible, be courageous enough to pursue it and be confident enough to know that you belong."

Michelle Scheipeter, Aviation Operations Manager at Saint Louis University (SLU), expanded on the events' impact. “These high school girls attended this event to learn about aviation with their peers, but they left the airport with inspiration, role models to look up to, and aspirations for the future,” Scheipeter said.

Girls in Aviation Day is part of a global initiative by Women in Aviation International that encourages girls and young women to pursue aviation and aerospace careers. Among the high schools that had students attending this year’s Girls in Aviation Day event at St. Louis Downtown Airport to learn more about these opportunities were Brentwood High School, Clyde C. Miller Career Academy, Jennings Senior High School, Lafayette High School and Marquette High School. 

To learn more about Girls in Aviation Day or opportunities to participate in future events, contact Michelle Scheipeter at Saint Louis University’s Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science via email at sseoutreach@slu.edu.  

St. Louis Downtown Airport is owned and operated by Bi-State Development. It is located a few minutes east of downtown St. Louis in Illinois on 1,000 acres in Cahokia Heights and Sauget.

About Bi-State Development  

Bi-State Development (BSD) owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport and the Gateway Arch Riverboats, as well as operates the Gateway Arch Revenue Collections Center and Gateway Arch trams. BSD is the operator of the Metro public transportation system in eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois, which includes the 87 vehicle, 46-mile MetroLink light rail system; a MetroBus vehicle fleet of approximately 270 clean-burning diesel buses and 24 battery-electric buses; and Metro Call-A-Ride, a paratransit fleet of 123 vans. BSD also operates the St. Louis Regional Freightway, the region’s freight district. To learn more about St. Louis Downtown Airport, visit www.stlouisdowntownairport.com.

Jerry Vallely, Public Affairs Manager, 314-486-5553
Michelle Scheipeter, michelle.scheipeter@slu.edu, 314.409.2784 (C)

2026 SOAR Into STEM Fall Session 4: Aircraft Mechanics

By Carmelo Turdo

High school students from the St. Louis area and neighboring counties participated in the fourth of four Fall Sessions of the Wings of Hope SOAR Into STEM Program on Saturday. SOAR Into STEM provides opportunities to apply science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills in the context of the Wings of Hope humanitarian aviation mission. Topics covered include Airplane Basics, Mechanics and Engineering, Navigation and Communication and Drone/Flight Opportunities.

In Session 4, led by Wings of Hope Education Programs Manager Lee Ann Nolte and a team of volunteer mentors, the students were given a systematic introduction to aircraft maintenance through direct interaction with airframe and powerplant technicians in the Wings of Hope hangar. To start things off, the students were given time to review the aircraft maintenance section of the SOAR Into STEM Book of Knowledge before giving a short presentation on the material and taking questions from volunteer mentors.  

The guest speaker for Session 4 was David Harrington, an A&P technician and local pilot with EAA Chapter 1675. His presentation included an overview of aircraft systems and maintenance procedures common to most general aviation aircraft. He also addressed recognition of human factors and ways to prevent maintenance errors through checklists, workspace organization and teamwork. 

The students received experience performing essential tasks of aircraft maintenance by participating in a round robin series of activities, including installing and removing Cleco fasteners, adjusting control cable tension, gapping and testing spark plugs, applying safety wire and inspecting aircraft for defects and corrosion. A new activity was recently added - assembly of a cell phone base made from sheet metal plates riveted together. Here we show a sample of each activity as the groups rotated through the stations.

Student teams also participated in an engineering project - design and build a working catapult to employ in a shooting distance competition at the end of the session. Awards were given to the winning teams!

SOAR Into STEM will continue on November 14 with Discovery Flight/Career Fair Day. The Aero Experience thanks Wings of Hope and everyone who contributed to another great SOAR Into STEM Session.

2026 SOAR Into STEM Fall Session 3: Aeronautical Engineering and Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles

By Carmelo Turdo

High school students from the St. Louis area and neighboring counties participated in the third of four Fall Sessions of the Wings of Hope SOAR Into STEM Program on Saturday. SOAR Into STEM provides opportunities to apply science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills in the context of the Wings of Hope humanitarian aviation mission. Topics covered include Airplane Basics, Mechanics and Engineering, Navigation and Communication and Drone/Flight Opportunities.

In Session 3, led by Wings of Hope Education Programs Manager Lee Ann Nolte and a team of volunteer mentors, the students were introduced to a systematic approach to aircraft design through a series of activities. Among the mentor corps are current and retired engineers from the Boeing Company who guided the students through their build projects.

The session's guest speaker was Juan Cajigas, MQ-25 Chief Engineer at the Boeing Company in St. Louis. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and has risen through the engineering and management ranks at Boeing over the last twelve years. His experience in propulsion technology and uncrewed aerial systems has led him to his current position in the MQ-25 program.

Along with an introduction to the technical design and project management aspects of developing the Navy's new uncrewed, autonomous aircraft, Juan Cajigas also emphasized the importance of having a positive attitude and work/life balance in an otherwise stress-filled career path. This process includes taking on challenges and professional advancement opportunities while also maintaining healthy relationships and personal satisfaction with daily life. The message is summed up in these remaining slides.

One student activity illustrating the aeronautical engineering topic was the installation of an electrical system on a foam aircraft cutout. One objective was to mount a circuit to the aircraft so that two electric motors would run their propellers powered by a battery pack with a switch. Another objective was to add a circuit running navigation lights on the wingtips and tail controlled by a second switch off the same battery pack. Half of the students worked on this project before switching places to the Drone station.

Another group of students built and operated Pitsco Drone Infinity Kit quadcopters. This project reinforced the structure and systems approaches to aeronautical engineering, emphasizing the use of lightweight materials, symmetry and propulsion in a successful uncrewed aircraft vehicle design. The students honed their skills by flying their drones through hoops while avoiding collisions (most of the time).