Connecting Communities

A4A Holds First Girls STEM Day Event

October 10, 2024

Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for leading U.S. passenger and cargo airlines, held a Girls STEM Day event in partnership with Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) on October 9.

A4A and other industry partners welcomed more than 100 girls from Baltimore schools to teach them about the exciting and fulfilling careers the aviation industry has to offer. The event was held as part of A4A’s Women for Aviation (W4A) initiative which seeks to inspire girls to pursue aviation careers.

“We’re here to show girls they can be pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and so much more,” Ivon Aheart, Executive Director at the W4A Initiative said. “As these girls think about their future, we want to equip them with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed and show them there’s no limit to what they can accomplish.”

Inside the Signature Aviation Hangar at BWI, girls visited various tables with different experiences and experts across aviation. Among the volunteers were flight attendants from JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines, as well as pilots and flight attendants from United Airlines.

Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provided a drone cage for girls to test drive. The Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA) brought a simulator for students to experience driving on the tarmac of an airport. The BWI Fire Department also allowed the girls to see inside firetrucks used at the airport.

National Air Traffic Controller Association (NATCA), Latino Pilots Association, Joby Aviation and Community College of Baltimore County also participated in the event and interacted with the students.