JetBlue Celebrates Black History Month – Passing the Torch to the Next Generation of Aviators
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Nearly 12 years ago, a chance encounter with a JetBlue pilot, made a lasting impact on an impressionable five year old. Elijah was traveling to Burlington, VT as part of the Fresh Air Fund. This program provides free summer experiences to New York City children from low-income communities. Capt. Eric Scott invited Elijah into the cockpit, just as he had done numerous times for countless other children. Little did he know, at that very instant, Elijah decided he wanted to become a pilot, just like Capt. Scott. The two reunited nearly 10 years later and have remained in touch since. Capt. Scott has mentored Elijah since this reunion to help keep him on track and encourage his career aspirations. Elijah is now a senior at Bronx Aerospace High School.
During their first meeting Capt. Scott had flashbacks of his childhood in Panama and his early dreams of becoming a pilot. “When I was coming up in aviation, I had a mentor. So for me – when I saw him [Elijah] and noticed that he wanted a mentor, I was motivated because this is how I got this far; by someone teaching me the ropes,” said Capt. Eric Scott. “This is what we do here at JetBlue. We like to give back to the community. We like to give back to others who show interest in our careers.
