I wanted to take a moment to share a very positive and exciting development that we can all be proud of. The San Luis Obispo County Department of Airports and the Lucia Mar Unified School District have partnered to launch a new aviation career and technical education (CTE) pathway at Arroyo Grande High School, set to begin in the 2025-26 school year.
I truly appreciate Courtney Johnson, director of airports, whose vision has been a driving force in bringing aviation deeper into our community. Her leadership has not only expanded flight options but opened doors for local students to pursue real career paths. I view her as a model of a public servant, pursuing both infrastructure and opportunity. This new program is a testament to her belief in building systems that serve the future. I also want to acknowledge Dr. Paul Fawcett, superintendent of Lucia Mar, and Kristin Anderson, the district’s CTE coordinator, for supporting this effort and helping turn the vision into a program that will be in the classroom next year. The Lucia Mar school board also deserves credit for recognizing the value of aviation education and backing its implementation.
The idea began when I heard a community member say, “The airport isn’t connected to the community.” That stuck with me. I started asking the question: How do we change that? In aviation circles, I had been following the work of the Bob Hoover Academy in Salinas, the brainchild of airshow legend Sean Tucker. Their program uses aviation to motivate and uplift at-risk youth. It struck me as the answer we were looking for. I shared the idea with Mayor Caren Ray Russom, who immediately saw its potential and connected me with Dr. Fawcett. That early conversation helped set the course for what is now a program ready for students right here in South County.
As someone who started flying at a young age, and who learned to fly at the Oceano Airport, I know how aviation can shape a life. I soloed on my 16th birthday and have been flying professionally now for more than 30 years. Seeing this program become reality is deeply meaningful. It is exactly the kind of hands-on, forward-thinking opportunity we need more of, where local leaders come together and students walk away with something real. I cannot wait to see these young aviators soar.
Adam Verdin
flight instructor
Arroyo Grande
This article appears in May 29 – Jun 8, 2025.
Congratulations to Courtney Johnson, Dr. Paul Fawcett, and Kristin Anderson for working collaboratively to make this program a reality! Thank you also to Adam Verdin for bringing it to the public’s attention. I am a Cal Poly graduate, and I did the bulk of my flight training in San Luis Obispo. Oceano Airport was a regular destination for my students and me. Like Adam, I too was incredibly fortunate to find aviation at a young age. I benefited, not from an amazing program like Adam describes here, but from the amazing Aviation community of generous pilots who were willing to mentor a young kid who had a passion to get into aviation. There are generations of families who will benefit from this program. The Central Coast is lucky to have people like those named in this article, who are giving tirelessly of themselves to help future generations. Three cheers for Adam, Courtney, Paul and Kristin! Keep up the great work!
Excellent article Adam Verdin! Your passion for the airport and community are greatly demonstrated by all your efforts to bring this aviation education to fruition. The youth interested in aviation will no doubt benefit from this program. Thank you for everything you have done to make your vision a reality.