On Thursday, May 29 aT 6:30 p.m. Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School in Bessemer will host its first graduation ceremony since opening its doors in 2022.

CEO and founder Ruben Morris said the school was created to expand access to careers in aviation and aerospace through hands-on opportunities in science, technology, engineering and aviation. It is the first school of its kind in Alabama.

The event will honor 13 graduating seniors who will attend higher education institutions including Tuskegee University and the University of South Alabama. Some have enlisted in the United States Air Force.

“This is more than a graduation—it’s a launch. These 13 students represent the heart of our mission: to equip the next generation of aviators, engineers, and leaders with the tools to transform both industry and community,” Morris said in a statement.

Carole Hopson, a Boeing 737 Captain for United Airlines and author of the book, A Pair of Wings, will deliver the graduation’s keynote address.

Hopson, founder and executive director of the Jet Black Foundation, said she wants to send 100 Black women to flight school by 2035.

“This graduating class is living proof that dreams can take flight when opportunity and preparation meet,” Hopson said in a statement. “I want every student to know that their runway is clear. What they do next is only limited by how boldly they choose to fly.”