United Airlines Expands Longtime Partnership With Reading and Mentorship Program

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Some incredible things happen with a simple phone call. A couple of months ago, the Aldine Education Foundation’s new director, Linda Olson Flores, reached out to United Airlines to introduce herself and share the many great things happening across Aldine Independent School District (Aldine ISD). Little did she know one call would generate so much interest and excitement.

For some time, United had a keen interest in engaging Aldine ISD beyond providing prizes to Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year and incentives for the Dollar Makes a Difference employee-giving program. For Rodney Cox, vice president of United’s Houston hub, it was critical that his team identify ways to make a difference in the community, especially as the global COVID-19 pandemic rattled our region.

Engaging Aldine ISD made strategic sense for United, not only because they operate right in our backyard at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, but because our core values and shared purposes align.

Olson reached out to Dr. Martha Escalante, executive director of the Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Department, who was developing a literacy program with families. The conversation with United led to the establishment of a reading initiative for students. But that was only the beginning.

The United reading program “took off” in early December at Wilson and Odom elementary schools and has quickly gained popularity amongst our students. Once a week, United employees – from pilots and flight attendants to ramp and aircraft technicians – read to students and share insights into the day in the life of an airline employee, learning about what it takes to work in the aviation field.

“Many of the kids we read to have never been to an airport, let alone flown,” said Cox. “This is a special opportunity for us to instill interest in an aviation career – career paths they may not be familiar with.”

The reading program will expand to other Aldine ISD campuses in the spring semester.

Growing the United relationship

At the December 15 Aldine ISD Board of Trustees meeting, United representatives – Darrin Hall, director of governmental relations, and Andy Jamison, senior manager of airport operations – shared with Board Trustees that the airline was interested in learning more about other ways to engage with the school district, in particular the Davis High School Introduction and Aerospace elective course, created in spring 2020 to fill the demand from the airline industry. The course gives students an opportunity to obtain a private pilot certification license and before graduation for free.

“Globally, the aviation industry will lose tens of thousands of pilots, technicians, and cabin crew members as they reach retirement age over the next decade,” said Hall. “At United, we feel the responsibility to inspire and recruit the next generation of aviation professionals, and this elective course at Davis High School grants us that opportunity.”

Before the pandemic, a 20-year job prediction report showed an increased demand for aviation professionals. The forecast has been adjusted due to the pandemic’s current impact. Still, experts expect aviation positions to bounce back up quickly, including increased demand for pilots, aircraft mechanics, and air traffic controllers.

Chief Communications Officer Sheleah D. Reed, who oversees the Aldine Education Foundation and the FACE Department, sees the possible expansion with Davis High School as another win for Aldine ISD students, noting that “it’s not just about raising dollars, it’s about ensuring any partnership is meaningful to our students allotting opportunities they could never find elsewhere.”

Over the course of the last few years, Aldine ISD has been ramping up its community engagement and outreach efforts. Relationships like the one with United are part of our strategic plan to accelerate student progress and opportunities.