The Education Opportunity Expansion Program provides STEM education activities during the annual National Championship Air Races that engage and excite young people with the wonders of aviation. This engagement is followed by action with our flight training scholarship program, which enables high-school age recipients to achieve their private pilot's license at little to no cost. The current pilot shortage crisis has opened the door for incredible opportunities for entry into this top-paying and highly critical field. The current epidemic of flight cancellations due to crew shortages illustrates the importance of populating this job pool with qualified applicants, and our program is designed to do exactly that with students from the Reno area. All students from 15 - 22 are welcome to apply, and the qualifying criteria are such that any student in the Reno / Sparks / Carson City / Minden area who is a US Citizen, actively enrolled in high school or college, and carries a 2.75 GPA or higher is eligible. The program welcomes students regardless of race, gender, gender identity or orientation, social status or religion. Additionally, we offer UAV/UAS (Drone pilot) Certification FREE for active military, veterans, first responders, high school students and educators. We are seeking funding to maintain and expand this valuable program!
The National Championship Air Races (NCAR) is the the only event of its kind in the world, and its colorful international notoriety as “The World’s Fastest Motorsport” is a vibrant part of aviation’s culture and history. Tens of thousands of patrons from all over the world flock to the event each year, and the resulting economic impact regularly exceeds over $100 million. In addition to the regional financial benefit, we are very proud to provide over $100,000 of tickets and cash contributions to local charities and organizations to help their respective causes. It’s not overstating to say that the Races are one of the major economic drivers for the region. The organizations supported vary from aviation related charities such as the 99’s, Civil Air Patrol and the local EAA chapter to the Knights of Columbus and Boy Scouts of America, and veteran causes such as Disabled American Veterans and Bees4Vets. As a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, we operate this storied event through the dedicated efforts of our Board of Directors, a small staff, and over 1200 volunteers that handle the thousands of details required to carry of such a large operation safely and efficiently.
Our vision is to “Establish the Reno Air Racing Association as the pinnacle of inspiration, education and exhilaration for people of all ages”.
In 2015, RARA unveiled the STEM Education Discovery Zone sponsored by The Global Robot and Drone Deployment (GRADD) and the Nevada Business Aviation Association (NVBAA). GRADD and NVBAA’s joint mission is to empower the next generation of Nevada’s STEM workforce and to educate Nevada’s youth through applications of the latest technology and teach critical-thinking and problem-solving skills through collaborative, hands-on projects, and workforce training initiatives. RARA is proud to partner with these organizations to use the Air Races as a focal point for these amazing programs. The Discovery Zone includes a drone flying zone, flight simulators, a 3D printing zone, a hydraulic robotic arm, STEM Arcade and much more. Plus, kids who participate in the STEM Discovery Zone are awarded free access to the STIHL National Championship Air Races for the remainder of the week. This amazing addition is extremely well attended, hosting more than 6000 students annually since 2018.
Our success with our STEM education programming has also led us to offer Flight Training Scholarships, and we proudly announced the first 10 recipients in April 2022. The scholarships are available to aspiring pilots ages 15 to 22 to help achieve their Private Pilot License. In addition to the training itself, the scholarship ensures that mentors are available to help the students with specific challenges during their journey. We are committed to fostering aviation in our local community and have even more programs coming to life in the near future, including funding for advanced ratings and Airframe and Powerplant certification.
Our success is critically dependent on the philanthropy of those who share our vision to inspire and encourage young people to discover the gratification and intense joy that we all know comes from a life path in aviation. The challenges and discipline that are inherent in learning to fly transcend just their use in the sky – they are the cornerstone of good citizenship and success in life. Regardless of their career path, people who take on and succeed in obtaining a pilot’s license have achieved a momentous goal and badge of proud honor that will serve them for the rest of their lives. Learn more at airrace.org!
Meet the Class of 2022 Reno Air Racing Scholarship Squadron!