Flying Kids At Belle Glade Airport Saturday

BELLE GLADE, FL. – The Florida Cub Flyers on Saturday treated more than 60 Glades area high school, Future Farmers of America and 4H students to a day of flying as part of efforts to teach young people about careers in agricultural aviation and agribusiness.

The students were paired with pilots from the Florida Cub Flyers and the Experimental Aircraft Association who flew them over sugarcane fields, vegetable farms, a sugar mill and Lake Okeechobee in the Everglades Agricultural Area. The event featured about a dozen airplanes that took off and landed from the Belle Glade Municipal Airport.

“The event gave students a great bird’s eye view of the exciting job opportunities in today’s precision agriculture,’’ said Judy Sanchez, senior director of corporate communications and public affairs for U.S. Sugar, which provided fresh Florida orange juice and doughnuts for the event. “Our hope is that hands-on experiences like these encourage students to get an education in agriculture, then return to the area to pursue a career in farming.’’

“These young men and women are the future of our companies, our communities, and our country,” Sanchez said. “Hopefully, they learned today that ‘the sky’s the limit’ when it comes to planning their futures.”

During the event, agricultural businesses in the region set up booths with career information and educational materials, and working professionals told students about their career paths. Florida Crystals provided a barbecue lunch.

“It’s amazing to see kids get fired up about agriculture and all of the career possibilities in their own back yard,’’ said Larry Robinson, executive director of the Florida Cub Flyers, and a pilot at the event. “We’re proud to contribute to the next generation of food producers.’’