AACT High School Aviation Technology Program receives $1 Million grant | Hydrography

AACT High School has received a little over a $1 million grant from the Gillemot Foundation in support of transforming its existing facilities into a state-of-the-art learning center focused on aviation technology. 

The grant was announced by representatives from Gillemot Foundation during the regular public WCSD Board of Trustees meeting and was accepted with a unanimous vote.

The Foundation was named after George W. Gillemot, who according to the Washoe County School district fell in love with northern Nevada and moved to Lake Tahoe in the early 1980’s.

They say before his passing in 2022 at the age of 96, Mr. Gillemot created the Gillemot Foundation, with one purpose to advance education in aviation, aerospace, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

The new Career and Technical Education (CTE) Aviation Technology program at AACT will enclose three classrooms into an Aviation Tech classroom, a Drone Testing Lab, and a Flight Simulator Room all to provide specialized training for students in aviation technology. 

The program for the 2025-2026 school year will accept at least 20 freshmen, 20 sophomores, and 20 juniors. 

Washoe County School District says the primary goal of the new program will be to support students and provide educational steps as they explore careers in the aviation industry. A program they have designed to foster qualified professionals ready to meet the demands of the aviation industry. 

WCSD says that the Gillemot Foundation Trustees believe that encouraging young people to pursue their dreams by exploring their talents and the opportunities available to them will have a positive and long-lasting impact on the future of our world.

They say that the Gillemot Foundation has made donations to the University of Nevada, Reno, and is currently developing a partnership with Truckee Community College for aviation programs, that the WCSD’s program would represent a critical first step in a student’s educational journey for those who are seeking careers in aviation fields at schools in northern Nevada.