MIDDLEBURG - While some high school students will spend this summer doing odd jobs or hanging out with friends, Joy Nolte, a senior next fall at Middleburg High School, will complete an intensive eight-week U.S. Navy Summer Flight Academy aviation program at Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, NC, achieving her FAA Private Pilot’s license upon completion of the training. The program takes place from June 1 – July 31.

"My senior naval science instructor brought up the idea of being a pilot," said Nolte. "I think my life does hold being a pilot in the military. I've never flown a plane, but have been in one. LOL."
Nolte, along with Fleming Island High students Violeta Moreno and Sophia Lin, is one of just 28 high-performing 11th and 12th graders throughout the United States selected for the elite program, which was established in 2021 by the Commander, Naval Air Forces (CNAF) to increase exposure to Naval Aviation. The Navy partners with select universities throughout the country to provide flight training to the participating students. The cost of the program is approximately $28,000/student but is offered at zero cost to the student and with no obligations. Upon completion of the program, each student earns a private pilot certification/license and five college credits. Moreno is set to attend the North Carolina camp with Lin to train at Delaware State University from June 9-August 12.
“The goal of the scholarship program is to inspire and expose exceptional young talent from communities across the nation to a career path in Naval Aviation,” says Tamara Graham, Deputy Director, CNAF Flight Academy Program Manager. “Joy Nolte, Violeta Moreno and Sophia Lin have demonstrated incredible potential, and the Navy is honored to play a part in their personal and professional journeys.”
Nolte, to be a senior at Middleburg next fall, cited a recent trip to NAS Pensacola with her dad, an aviation mechanic, last summer to see a Blue Angels' practice show as influencing her pursuit of being a pilot maybe, a US. Naval aviator, and, if the chips fly right, a Blue Angel.
"When I took the trip with my dad, I was so impressed with the presentation that we got and to see the female Blue Angel pilot perform, that I immediately put that on my aspiration list," said Nolte, an ROTC member at Middleburg since her sophomore year, now a Cadet Lieutenant Junior Grade (third in command/operations officer) and former junior varsity cheerleader. "I've always been surrounded by aviation because of my dad, Chris; being around planes and taking me to work."
Note: Nolte is an ROTC Color Guard commander who finished fourth in the nation recently.
Moreno and Lin both recently graduated from Fleming Island High School with Moreno getting a heavy dose of flight simulators and aviation herself with four years of ROTC. Moreno's dad, Victor, is also an aviation mechanic who joined the Nolte group for the NAS Pensacola trip.
"In my junior year, I took an aviation course at the school which had an instructional flight; in an actual flight simulator; fighter jets, even helicopters, more with the big trailers and a somewhat real cockpit," said Moreno. "I'm thinking mostly commercial flights, but if a P-8 pilot opportunity comes up, I've always liked the P-8."
For Lin, a cross-country runner at Fleming Island High School, a course at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical fired up her interest.
"I'm very grateful that the opportunity was presented to me when I joined the dual enrollment of Principles of Aeronautical Science course offered at Embry-Riddle," said Lin. "I'm excited for the summer and flying for the first time outside of the simulators in the classroom."
During the eight-week Summer Flight Academy, the trio will receive a minimum of 32 hours of classroom aviation academics and more than 40 hours of flight training in either a Vulcanair V.10 single-engine aircraft or Piper Warrior (PA-28). As part of the certification process, the group will be required to complete 17 hours of solo flights.