[caption id="attachment_5987" align="alignright" width="151"]<a href="https://eaa179.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Mia-Alderete.jpg"><img class="wp-image-5987" src="https://eaa179.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Mia-Alderete.jpg" alt="" width="151" height="126" /></a> <a> Past Chapter president Emilio Verastegui and Scholarship chairman Mark Sturm with 2023 Ray Scholar recipient Mia Alderete.</a>[/caption]

EAA Chapter 179 is dedicated to introducing youth to aviation and supporting advancement of their aviation education through scholarships. Click on the following links for information and application instructions for the three programs we administer:
<ul>
 	<li><strong><a href="https://eaa179.org/eaa-179-chapter-scholarship-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chapter 179 Aviation Scholarships: </a></strong> For 2023 we awarded a total of nine scholarships totaling over $24,000! These cover expenses related to flight training, A&amp;P certification, or other educational programs for New Mexico applicants up to 25 years of age, pursuing a future in aviation.</li>
 	<li><a href="https://eaa179.org/air-academy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>EAA Advanced Air Academy:</strong></a>  <span dir="ltr" role="presentation">EAA 179 </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation">covers</span><strong> <em>full tuition</em></strong> for a New Mexico youth ages 16 - 18 to this week long program in Oshkosh, Wisconsin which overlaps with EAA's AirVenture, the world's biggest aviation celebration. Applications are accepted via our Aviation Scholarship program, <span dir="ltr" role="presentation">Jan 1 </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation">–</span> <span dir="ltr" role="presentation">Feb 15 each year.  <a href="https://eaa179.org/air-academy/">More details.</a></span></li>
 	<li><strong style="font-size: 1rem;"><a href="https://eaa179.org/ray-scholarship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship: </a></strong><span style="font-size: 1rem;"> In 2019, 2020, 2021 2022, 2023, and expected for 2024, EAA selected our chapter to award this prestigious scholarship of up to $11,000 to help student pilots age 15 - 19 achieve their Private Pilot certificate. We hope to continue to qualify for these annual grants.</span></li>
</ul>
Chapter 179 has awarded over $110.000 in scholarships to forty six recipients from 2017 through 2023, including Chapter 179 Scholarships, Air Academy Tuition, and EAA's Ray Scholarships.  Since 2017 we qualified for participation in the EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship program SEVEN times with grants up to $11,000 supporting our scholars to complete their Private Pilot certificate.
<h2>Scholarship Recipient History</h2>
For grant history and inspiring stories of past 179 scholarship recipients, <a href="https://eaa179.org/scholarships-history/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">click here</a>.
<h2>Funding Relies on Generous Donors</h2>
Chapter scholarships are funded by a combination of donations and from funds from activities throughout the year.  <span style="color: #800080;"><em>We're proud to say that most recipients have proceeded towards their goals.</em></span>

<a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&amp;hosted_button_id=9Y4X5MZJS8A9Y"><img class="jetpack-lazy-image jetpack-lazy-image--handled alignleft" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/webstatic/en_US/btn/btn_donate_cc_147x47.png" alt="Donate Button with Credit Cards" width="152" height="49" data-lazy-loaded="1" /></a><strong>Like what you see? Want to Contribute? </strong> We appreciate donations of any amount to our main scholarship fund, the<em> Bob Hartman Memorial Scholarship, Jay Schmitt Memorial Scholarship, “Doc” Weaver Memorial Scholarship, or Reimer Memorial Scholarship funds. </em>Chapter 179 is a 501c(3) tax exempt charitable organization. Donate online or send a check to "EAA 179 Scholarship; Double Eagle II Airport, 7401 Atrisco Vista Blvd NW #179, Albuquerque, NM 87120-6601".