KIPP students at SDIA
This week, San Diego International Airport played host to a very special group of eighth graders from San Diego’s KIPP: Adelante Preparatory Academy. KIPP: Adelante is a small, college-preparatory public school serving 360 students from southeastern San Diego in grades five through eight. The school is based upon the acclaimed KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) model. KIPP schools share the common mission of preparing educationally underserved students for success in high school, college and the world beyond.
KIPP students arrive at the airport
In all, 70 eighth graders were at the airport for their Golden Ticket Ceremony, where it was announced that they’ll be flying to Washington, DC on Southwest Airlines next week! For the special event, the Airport Authority provided San Diego International Airport baseball caps and luggage tags for the students. Opening remarks were provided by yours truly, as well as by Keith Wilschetz, Director of Airport Planning for the Airport Authority.
After the ceremony, the students were treated to a special presentation by Harbor Police Department K-9 units and a tour of Terminals 1 and 2. They had a look at ticket counters, the concessions program, the NTC Landfill Remediation, TSA security checkpoints and various public art projects at the airport.
'Yours Truly' welcoming the KIPP students to SDIA
The event was organized by LEAD San Diego, KIPP: Adelante, and the Airport Authority’s Airport Planning and Landside Operations Departments. It was a great way to expose these bright students to all of the opportunities and careers available at San Diego 
International Airport. I’m bursting with pride knowing that these promising students are our future passengers … and maybe future employees, too!
Filed under: Aviation education, Get to Know Your Airport, In the Community, RYAN (Airport Planning Department)
