Auburn University Regional Airport hosted its annual Girls in Aviation Day last weekend to encourage girls and women to look into the field of aviation as a career.
Despite the name, girls and boys alike enjoyed many different activities inside the airport that encouraged knowledge on the field, fun take home crafts or “swag” from different airlines.
The event was held indoors due to the torrential rain outside, but that didn’t stop the fun.
Children could watch a demonstration on rainfall, have their face painted, take a look at a drone or color their own wooden airplane.
Anna Elswick, whose husband works in the aviation department, said she wants her girls to know they can do anything.
“There’s nothing stopping, holding them back,” said, Elswick who brought her two girls, Marissa and Reagan. “I want them to see that they can do anything they want, especially in the airline industry.
“Seeing the girls that come through day to day and interacting with the students, like my husband gets to, these girls are so smart and so strong and they’re just awesome.”
Children crowded around a table with markers and wooden pieces that when fitted together made a plane. One of the pilots stood with the children, helping them make their own aircraft.
She helped fulfill one child’s request of flames on their plane.
Another mom, Keshia Edwards, brought her three children, Maya, Victoria and Frazier. Her oldest daughter, Maya, said she wanted to look at the drone, while the youngest, Victoria had enjoyed looking at the planes.
“They need to be able know that they have the same equal rights as boys do,” Edwards said.
Alysha Shaw, a captain with PSA airlines, operated by American Eagle and owned by American Airlines said her airline has a 5 percent female involvement.
“I think it’s important to just get out here and let young girls, especially, know that this is an option and kind of get them excited about it, start thinking about what they want to do in the future,” she said. “A lot of people that come to us started wanting to be a pilot at a very young age.
“Unfortunately, most of them are men, but we’re just trying to get the idea out there to young girls and hopefully we get more in the future in our industry.”