For Release: 11/28/2006Contact: Eric Solomon, 202.659.2258
Tucson, Ariz., November 28, 2006 - Forty hard-working Tucson area students from middle school to high school will fulfill a dream by piloting an aircraft on Saturday, December 2. The flight lesson with a certified pilot in various light aircraft is part of a reward program the Wright Flight organization has at its core. Nelnet (NYSE: NNI), a leading education planning and finance company, has sponsored the December 2 "Fly Day" at the Tucson Airport Executive Terminal.
The nationally recognized Wright Flight program uses the motivating effect airplanes have on youngsters to teach the principles of goal setting and achievement to advance their educational development. The reward for reaching their goals is actually taking over the controls of the aircraft and flying the plane.
Before beginning the program, students sign a contract requiring that they raise a grade point in one of their weaker subjects (for example, raising a math grade from C to B). Other conditions include completing an aviation history course in addition to staying in school, off drugs, and out of gangs. Once these requirements have been met along with passing the Wright Flight "History of Aviation" test, the child is allowed to fly with a volunteer FAA certified pilot and "graduate" at an on-site ceremony.
"Nelnet's generous funding of Wright Flight for Tucson area youth will help change lives." said Mark Hollinger, Vice President for Wright Flight, Inc. "Your [Nelnet's] donation will not only pay costs for the Fly Day plane expenses and insurance, but will also provide these youth with a life-changing graduation experience."
According to Wright Flight, "Poverty, drugs, and poor socio-economic conditions affect over 60% of youth in the Tucson area." These "at-risk" conditions make youth particularly vulnerable to underachievement in education and in their personal development. The majority of these kids and their parents have never even flown in a commercial airplane. When they take hold of the controls of the aircraft, they are simultaneously learning to take control of their lives.
"Nelnet's vision is to help education-seeking families reach their education and career goals," said Nelnet Co-CEO Steve Butterfield. "The Wright Flight youth pilots are setting and accomplishing their educational goals, which can lead to a lifelong appreciation for learning. We are proud to support this program."
To date, Wright Flight has helped make these life-changing flights possible to the delight of more than 10,500 kids in Tucson. For more information, visit http://wrightflight.org/.
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For 28 years, Nelnet has been helping the education-seeking family plan for their education, pay for their education, and prepare for their careers. The company has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in products, services, and technology improvements for students and the educational institutions they attend. These services include live counseling to help families through all aspects of the financial aid process, benefits for borrowers, including tens of millions of dollars in fee reductions, and Nelnet sponsored scholarships. Nelnet serves students in 50 states, employs approximately 3,700 associates, and has $22.9 billion in net student loan assets.
Additional information is available at www.nelnet.com.
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