Providing scholarships, inspiration, mentoring and careers
alpha drones usa commercial drone pilot scholarship
Wilmer Nieto
Wilmer participated in the Spring 2022 session of our Drone Pilot Certification at County College of Morris. Wilmer is now a certified drone pilot, and qualified to operate large precision industrial spray drones.
Professional Pilot Scholarship - AAPD
Nicole Legister
Nicole was awarded the SandraFoundation Professional Pilot Scholarship in May 2023. Nicole will be training for her Private Pilot License out of Morristown, NJ.
Nairoby Nunez
Nairoby was awarded the SandraFoundation Professional Pilot Scholarship in May 2023. She is finishing up her Private Pilot License with Alpha Aviation.
Kyle Chandler
Kyle was awarded the SandraFoundation Professional Pilot Scholarship in June of 2022. Kyle is training out of our Morristown location, and also serves as a part time Drone Intern with Alpha Drones USA.
Moises Dossantos
Moises was awarded the SandraFounation Professional Pilot Scholarship in September of 2020. He is working on earning his Private Pilot Certification at Alpha Aviation's Morristown, NJ location.
Ashley Young
Ashley was awarded the SandraFounation Professional Pilot Scholarship in February of 2020. Ashley is finishing up her Commercial Pilot Certification at Alpha Aviation's Farmingdale, NY location.
Sara Komor
Sara was awarded the SandraFoundation Professional Pilot Scholarship in February 2020. Sara will be among the first students to begin training at Alpha Aviation's new location in Morristown, NJ.
Katherine Guerrero
Katherine was awarded the Professional Pilot Scholarship in February 2020. She is finishing up her Commercial Pilot certification and will hopefully join our talented crew soon!
Cheon Steele
Cheon was awarded the SandraFoundation Professional Pilot Scholarship in October 2019. He started the Alpha Aviation Professional Development Program with some experience flying with his father.
Cheon completed his first solo flight in December 2019, and is on a fast track to securing his Private Pilot License in the coming weeks.
Cheon's scholarship is fully funded through private donations.
Best of luck, Cheon!
Daniel Henry
Daniel was awarded the SandraFoundation Professional Pilot Scholarship in August 2019. He will be training to become a commercial pilot through the Alpha Aviation Professional Development Program.
Daniel's flight training has been fully funded by a private donor through the Sandra Foundation.
Happy flying, Daniel!
Jann Winston
Congratulations to Jann Winston, recipient of the SandraFoundation Professional Pilot Scholarship in July 2019!
Jann is the first student to receive the scholarship under the joint venture between the SandraFoundation Professional Pilot Scholarship and the Alpha Aviation Professional Development Program.
The scholarship will clear Jann to earn his commercial pilot license and give him a head start on establishing his career as a professional pilot.
Jann's scholarship is funded by private donations. Fly safe and best wishes to Jann!
2018 Cadet Scholarship Recipients
Jeriah Dimaranan
Jeriah Dimaranan competed in the 2018 Cadet Scholarship Drill Competition in Atlanta, Georgia. She was the 1st place winner in the 173-cadet individual drill knockout, winning $1,500! Jeriah is a cadet in the Mundy's Mills High School Air Force Junior ROTC!
Eli Lankford
Eli Lankford competed in the 2018 Cadet Scholarship Drill Competition in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the 2nd place winner in the 173-cadet individual drill knockout, winning $1,000! Jeriah is a cadet in the Mundy's Mills High School Air Force Junior ROTC!
Keith Manson
Keith Manson competed in the 2018 Cadet Scholarship Drill Competition in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the 3rd place winner in the 173-cadet individual drill knockout, winning $500! Keith is a cadet in the Morrow High School Air Force Junior ROTC!
Austin Do
Congratulations to Cadet Austin Do, winner of the Cadet Scholarship Drill Competition at Morrow High School in Morrow, Georgia!
On February 6th, 2018, The SandraFoundation visited with and spoke to 178 cadets at Morrow High School to promote an upcoming Cadet Scholarship Drill Competition and Career Fair. Austin won a mock cadet scholarship drill competition, officiated by the Morrow High School Air Force Junior ROTC Aerospace Science Instructors!
Austin is a freshman and first-year cadet in the Junior ROTC. Congratulations Cadet Do!
Additional Scholarship Recipients:
$300: Ashley Nguyen, Junior, Jonesboro HS
$300: Tuan Tran, Sophomore, Riverdale HS
$300: Chance Washington, Sophomore, Mt. Zion HS
$300: Bianca Abner, Senior, Mundy's Mills HS
$300: Keith Manson, Sophomore, Morrow HS
$300: Tashawn Noah, Sophomore, Charles Drew HS
$300: Tia Hall, Junior, Forest Park HS
$300: Brandon Brewer, Junior, North Clayton HS
$300: Abdulmalik Ariyo, Junior, Lovejoy HS
The Professional Pilot Scholarship
Terrell Palmer
Terrell is a graduate of the Airline Career Pilot Program at ATP Flight School in Lawrenceville, Georgia. At ATP Flight School, Terrell began his ab-initio flight training and successfuly became a Commercial licensed pilot! He decided to continue his flight training at All 2 Fly Aviation where he will become a Certificated Flight Instructor. Congratulations to Terrell on this tremendous accomplishment!
Mary Russell
Mary is a professional pilot student at Freeway Aviation in Washington, DC.
She earned her private pilot license in August, 2015. Since earning her private pilot license, Mary has flown 100+ additional flight hours which puts her in close reach of securing the Commercial Pilot License.
"I am working to become a career airline pilot at United Airlines and someday fly the Boeing 777 like my uncle does" says Mary. "I feel extremely honored and appreciative for receiving The SandraFoundation Professional Pilot Scholarship for 2016. Receiving this scholarship has boosted my confidence and inspiration to realize my dreams of becoming a professional pilot."
The Sandra Blake Memorial Scholarship Foundation is pleased to offer the Professional Pilot to such a deserving student and we wish Mary the best of luck in her future endeavors!
Elizabeth Robertson
Elizabeth is a professional pilot student at Sun Valley Aviation in McAllen, Texas. Elizabeth earned her private pilot license in 2015 and is actively working towards her Commercial Pilot License and Instrument Rating. Aside from her time in the cockpit, Elizabeth serves the community by serving the Civil Air Patrol and also offers remedial mathematics instruction to college students.
"My future in aviation, I see myself owning an aviation school and becoming a Certified Flight Instructor, Instrument Instructor, and Multi-Engine Instructor. The goal is to introduce youth into aviation then guide them through the process of applying to colleges" says Robertson.
The Sandra Blake Memorial Scholarship Foundation is pleased to provide the 2016 Professional Pilot Scholarship to Elizabeth and we wish her unparalleled success!
The Naomi Blake Family Legacy Scholarship
Yonairis Smith
Congratulations to Yonairis for being selected the 2017 Naomi Blake Family Legacy Scholarship! Yonairis was chosen for this scholarship because of her excellent academic grade point average at Northhampton Community College in Pennsylvania. In her own words, she pays tribute to her late great-grandmother, Naomi Blake - "When I think of granny I think of her light grey eyes which smiled at you while she gave a serious look. Granny was the mother of my grandmother Sandra Blake. She lived in Panama, and I rarely got the chance to see her, anytime I was in Panama her house was my first stop on the list. Granny always found her way to make you smile no matter how low your mood was. Anytime I think of granny, I either picture her on the couch during word search, or in the kitchen with abuela and tia Vilma cooking thanksgiving dinner. These are moments with granny I surely will miss, but I also believe she would want us to continue certain traditions which kept our family whole; like thanksgiving dinner. In grannies name, I believe once a year the family should come together, and do different kind of events. For example BBQ’S, go to theme parks, etc. Even though our family may have some unresolved disagreements, that should not keep us from one another. If anything, granny would want us to push our differences aside and just love one another."
Mauricio Smith
Mauricio Smith has been named the first ever recipient of the Naomi Blake Family Legacy Scholarship! Mauricio, a graduate of Wilson Area High School in Pennsylvania, earned this scholarship based on demonstrating financial need as well as satisfying the scholarship's academic criteria requirements.
Mauricio is now an undergraduate at La Salle University; his major is in Marketing.The SandraFoundation is pleased to offer this scholarship to Mauricio as he pursues his dream career!
The 2016 Cadet Scholarship
Pamela Arias
Pamela Arias is a senior at Riverdale High School in Riverdale, Georgia. She is enrolled in the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp (JROTC) at Riverdale High School where she is actively the Color Guard Commander and Deputy of Operations.
Recently, she competed in the 2016 SandraFoundation Cadet Drill Competition and won the individual knockout drill competition, securing the Cadet Scholarship in the amount of $500.
Pamela says her dream career is to be a General Surgeon in the Army. She plans to go to college while simultaneously serving in the Army Reserve. She will then pursue a full time military career upon college graduation.
The SandraFoundation is pleased to support Pamela as she pursues her dream career.
Congratulations to Pamela and the Riverdale High School AFJROTC!
The Sandra Foundation Memorial Scholarship
Michelle Knuth
Michelle was a student at Dowling College in New York before the college closed. Michelle earned the Sandra Blake Memorial Scholarship at Dowling College in 2009 in the amount of $1,000. During her time in college, her 3.70 grade point average, as well as her community service activities enabled her to earn this scholarship.
The SandraFoundation is pleased to support Michelle in her goal of obtaining a career in english literature and secondary education!
Sultania Makrides
Sultania was a student at Dowling College in New York before the college closed. Sultania earned the Sandra Blake Memorial Scholarship at Dowling College in 2009 in the amount of $1,000. During her time in college, her 3.58 grade point average, as well as her participation in the Student Government Association enabled her to earn this scholarship.
The SandraFoundation is pleased to support Sultania in her goal of obtaining a career in mathematics and secondary education!