As interest in aerospace and aviation education grows, Garver is helping Oklahoma lead the way

Six years ago, Oklahoma Aviation Leader Matthew Ranck took note of something happening at the Ada High School in Ada, Oklahoma: the adoption of the You Can Fly program, created by the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA). A four-year curriculum, free to schools and dedicated to offering aviation STEM education, appealed to Ranck, a civil engineer focused on aviation who recognized the enormous career opportunities in the aviation aerospace sector, the second-largest industry in Oklahoma. Over the next several years, he watched the program gain popularity, spreading to schools across the state and in communities where Garver works.

A passionate advocate for aviation and also a homeschooling father, Ranck knew he wanted to bring the program to his homeschool co-op in Midwest City, OK. In the fall of 2021, he coordinated with the AOPA and the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace & Aeronautics (ODAA) and established the fourth non-traditional homeschool program in the nation to offer the You Can Fly curriculum. He taught ninth grade students the first year, tenth grade students the next.

Interest in You Can Fly continued to spread, with 87 schools adopting the curriculum in 2023 and 116 adopting it for the 2024-2025 school year. Ranck realized that the program had grown so much that it would be challenging for smaller homeschool co-ops to provide students with a comparable experience.

Networking with homeschool families across greater Oklahoma City, he found that many parents in similar but separate co-ops shared his desire to bring the full experience of the curriculum to their children. This led to the formation of a stand-alone home school aviation program: P91 CHASE, which stands for Christian Homeschool Aviation STEM Education. The P91 refers to Psalms 91:4 “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”

As word of P91 CHASE circulated, Ranck was approached by Rose State College, a two-year public institution in Midwest City that offers educational summer sessions for high schoolers interested in aviation. Rose State had drones, simulators, other educational resources, and classroom space that wouldn’t be in use during the fall and spring semesters. They generously offered these resources to the students of P91 CHASE.

ODAA has also supported the program, providing grant money for needed supplies. And Garver has supported Ranck with a flexible schedule and the sponsorship of discovery flights, the opportunity for students to take their first flight and, with Ranck’s guidance, to briefly experience piloting the aircraft. In the fall of 2023 and spring of 2024, Garver sponsored all costs of these flights for the 10th grade class.

Thirty students are currently enrolled in P91 CHASE, and the school will officially started this August. Ranck is overseeing the program. His enthusiasm for the school is rooted in his understanding of the career opportunities available to students pursuing aviation and aerospace in the state, and in his desire to give back to the place he calls home.

Having Garver’s support in this endeavor has made it more possible for the students and families Ranck is committed to serving: “At Garver, we take a lot of pride in working where we live and living where we work,” he said. “The partnership that Garver has with the state of Oklahoma and with these programs - it’s really exciting.”