The granddaughter of an aircraft mechanic at Tinker Air Force Base, Alexis Hannah long has had a fascination with aviation and flying. The thought of pursuing a career in that field, she said, always has been “in the back of my head.”

Aviation/aeronautics is the second-largest industry in Oklahoma and as the need develops to produce more workforce-ready people to fill jobs in that industry, Norman Public Schools and the University of Oklahoma are partnering on a project that is benefitting students like Alexis. Known as the Oklahoma Aviation Academy, it’s essentially a public immersion school for high school students wishing to pursue a career in any number of aviation-related fields. Only a handful of similar schools exist anywhere in the U.S.

Norman voters approved a $353.9 million bond proposal in February 2023 with a new building for the academy as the centerpiece. The academy — which received a shout-out from Gov. Kevin Stitt in his State of the State address at the start of the current legislative session — now conducts classes in portable buildings at OU’s Max Westheimer Airport. Construction soon will begin on the new facility, also on airport grounds, a location that will allow for a close connection between the academy and OU’s top-rated collegiate aviation program.

“As I was growing up, I thought less and less about (a career in aviation) until the Academy and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh — I may have a chance to do this!’ It wasn’t until I heard about the academy that I thought I could actually do it,” said Alexis, a sophomore who’s a member of the first class of students at the academy. “None of knew what to expect, but it’s been a really positive experience. We are so lucky, because it’s been made so easy for us. It’s basically just an everyday thing for us, just like normal class, except it’s a little more interesting.”