Twenty high school students from the Baton Rouge area recently traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, as part of the Baton Rouge Youth Aviation Experience to participate in the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) Project LIFT program on March 17, 2026.
The initiative was designed to connect students with aviation industry mentors and provide hands-on exposure to a wide range of careers in aviation.
Student recruitment, planning, and program development were led by Cleve Dunn Jr. and LaTeesha Swann. Dunn serves as the Project LIFT National Lead, represents District 6 on the Baton Rouge Metro Council, serves on the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport Commission, and is a board member of the AMAC Foundation. Swann served as the Project LIFT Baltimore Local Lead and is the Director of the Office of Operations at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).
Over the past six months, Dunn and Swann collaborated to form a planning committee and successfully bring Project LIFT Baltimore to life. The event was hosted at Martin State Airport (MTN), part of the BWI airport system.
Project LIFT brought together students and educators from both Baton Rouge and Baltimore, strengthening connections between communities while expanding access to aviation career pathways. Participating Baton Rouge students represented Capitol High School, Helix Mentorship STEM Academy, Belaire High School, Broadmoor High School, McKinley High School, and Thrive Academy. Baltimore-area participants included students from National Academy Foundation, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, and Western High School.
Throughout the experience, students engaged in immersive, hands-on learning opportunities. They explored aircraft hangars, learned about airport operations, and received presentations from the Maryland Air National Guard and the Maryland State Police Aviation Command — a specialized unit providing emergency medical transport, law enforcement support, search and rescue, homeland security, and disaster response services.
Students also toured helicopters and had the rare opportunity to explore private aircraft valued at up to $80 million, gaining insight into luxury travel and general aviation operations.
A highlight of the program included small-group “speed networking” sessions, where students connected directly with aviation professionals in fields such as aviation operations and engineering. These conversations provided valuable insight into career pathways, educational requirements, and real-world expectations within the aviation industry.
“This experience demonstrates the power of exposure, mentorship, and hands-on learning in preparing the next generation of aviation professionals,” said Dunn. “We are not only opening doors for these students but also building lasting connections between communities and the aviation industry.”
The success of Project LIFT Baltimore underscores AMAC’s ongoing commitment to diversity, inclusion, and workforce development within the aviation sector.
AMAC will host its Annual Airport Business Diversity Conference June 10–14, 2026, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. Hosted by BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, the conference brings together nearly 1,000 aviation professionals, businesses, government officials, and industry leaders from across the country. The event serves as a premier platform for education, advocacy, and networking, focusing on opportunities and public policy issues impacting the aviation industry.
I think it’s a beautiful program. It will help.\n Young people to get more involved In the aviation industry. It’s a beautiful opportunity.