Etowah Student Earns $23,000 Flight Academy Scholarship

WOODSTOCK, GA — An Etowah High School student is one of only 150 students nationwide and one of only six in Georgia awarded an Air Force JROTC Flight Academy scholarship.

Kyle Raffety, a junior at the school, won the $23,000 competitive scholarship based on his commitment to the Air Force core values of integrity, service to others, and excellence, the Cherokee County School District said. He will be given the opportunity to earn his private pilot's license and college credits during the summer.

The Air Force is paying $2.4 million to teach 150 of its Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets how to fly, part of the service’s overall effort to address its pilot shortage. Recipients of the scholarship will take classes at select college campuses this summer, each course lasting between seven and nine weeks, according to the Air Force, to earn a private pilot license and 12 college credits.

"We couldn’t be happier for Kyle," Etowah JROTC instructor Lt. Col. (Ret.) Stephen Bergey said. "Well done!"

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Photo: JROTC instructors Master Sgt. (Ret.) Tanya Hagarman, left, and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Stephen Bergey congratulate Kyle. Image via Cherokee County School District