Students in the Skies
With Signing

Students at the Indiana School for the Deaf (ISD), like many students, often travel by air. The difference is this: ISD students sometimes pilot the plane themselves.

At ISD, students can sign up for a "Summer in the Skies" program. For four weeks, they study math, physics, weather, geography, and history, and apply this knowledge to airplanes and how to fly them. Then they climb into a small plane with an instructor…and up they go!

"It wasn't like flying in a big jet," said student Adam Gouvan. "It wasn't smooth…"

Adam learned a lot from the experience.

"I know how to work the flaps, throttle, rudder pedals, and ailerons," he said. "I learned how to yaw, pitch, and roll to help the airplane fly. I learned how to read navigation maps and deal with weather…so many different things!"

Teacher Breaks the Ground Barrier

Two people helped in starting a flying program at ISD. One was Marvin Cooper, an ISD student. The other was Teresa Huckleberry, an ISD teacher.

In 1994, Marvin approached Huckleberry and asked for help in finding a flight instructor. Marvin wanted to be a pilot and he needed someone to teach him. Huckleberry, who teaches science, looked all over for an instructor. She couldn't find anyone.

She decided to become a flight instructor herself. Of course, first she had to learn how to fly.

Huckleberry received a Christa McAuliffe Fellowship and became a licensed pilot. She helped Marvin study and pass his written FAA exam to become a private pilot. Then she found a donor for the summer flying program. Huckleberry is now working on advanced ratings to become a certified flight instructor. Marvin, now an ISD graduate, is a licensed pilot, too.