High school students throwing paper airplanes with a volunteer pilot in an aircraft hangar
AOPA Foundation Volunteer Program

Remember what sparkedyour love of aviation?

Someone helped you see what was possible.
Now you can do the same for the next generation.

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Help bring aviation to life for students.

With the AOPA Foundation Volunteer Program, you'll connect with high school students through the AOPA Foundation's aviation STEM curriculum.

Share your day-to-day

Help students understand what aviation actually looks like beyond the textbook.

Tell your story

Talk about how you got started and the path that brought you into aviation.

Reveal new paths

Introduce students to opportunities they may not even know exist.

You won't be giving a lecture.
Instead, you'll share your story and help students see how what they're learning connects to real opportunities.
The speaker’s real-life experience showed us that aviation doesn’t have to be a career to be meaningful. That perspective was inspiring and memorable.
12th-grade student
An AOPA Foundation volunteer holding a model airplane while speaking with a student

One conversation can change everything.

For many students, this is the first time they'll hear directly from someone in aviation or see a path that feels real.

  • Answer the question they didn’t know how to ask
  • Introduce a path they’ve never considered
  • Turn curiosity into action
“Hearing a pilot share their journey and lessons learned was inspiring and motivating. It helped me realize I can follow my own career path and still be a pilot for fun.” –10th-grade student

It doesn't take much to make a difference.

The program is open to all AOPA members, making it easier than ever to get involved.

45 Minutes

Many experiences take as little as one class period.

Flexible Commitment

Participate in a way that works for your schedule.

Your Story

Your aviation experience and perspective matter.

Get involved in three simple steps.

We'll support you every step of the way.

1

Sign up to volunteer

2

Get matched with a school

3

Share your story with students

Seeing real aviation equipment brought classroom concepts to life. Students are eager to do it again.
School representative, FL
A classroom of students engaged with an aviation volunteer

Volunteering
is more than just giving back.

It’s a way to stay connected to aviation in a meaningful way. It’s a chance to share something that has shaped your life. And it’s a moment you can walk away from knowing you made a real difference, one student at a time.

FAQs

Answers to common questions.

The program is open to AOPA members from all areas of aviation. You don't need to work in aviation to volunteer — your story and experiences can inspire and educate.

Signing up is simple. Once you express interest, you'll be guided through the next steps and matched with opportunities that fit.

You'll connect with students using the AOPA Foundation aviation STEM curriculum and share what your experience in aviation looks like day to day.

Most volunteer experiences take as little as 45 minutes. There's no long-term commitment, so you can participate in a way that works for your schedule.

We do our best to connect volunteers with participating schools based on location and availability, though specific placements can't be guaranteed.

In some cases, volunteers may be able to coordinate or participate alongside others, depending on school and program needs.

No formal teaching experience is required. If you're comfortable sharing your story and engaging with students, you already have what you need.