Soaring Ambitions: The Story of the Alabama Aeronautical Team at South Choctaw Academy
In the heart of rural southwest Alabama, something extraordinary is taking flight—literally.
What began as a simple idea at South Choctaw Academy has grown wings and become the Alabama Aeronautical Team (AA-T), an innovative Saiasi Foundation-led initiative powered by curiosity, collaboration, and the belief that great things can emerge from small communities.
Formed through a partnership between South Choctaw Academy, the Saiasi Foundation, and the Academy of Model Aeronautics through their program UAS4STEM, the AA-T offers students hands-on experience in aeronautical technology, from designing and building drones to programming flight paths and eventually piloting their own creations. For the students, this was their first real exposure to UAS4STEM in action, where science, technology, engineering, and mathematics come together in the exhilarating world of flight.
This program didn’t lift off alone. With strong support from the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), the team quickly gained access to educational resources, flight safety training, and national-level guidance that helped them take their knowledge and skills to a whole new altitude. The AMA’s backing also gave students a sense of belonging to something bigger, a nationwide network of model aviation enthusiasts and aerospace innovators.
The momentum didn’t stop there.
Recognizing the program's impact and the talent it was nurturing, the Saiasi Foundation also received a generous donation of four complete small drone kits, sparking new possibilities. These kits are now being used to extend opportunities beyond the walls of South Choctaw Academy, especially through the Upward Bound Program at Coastal Alabama Community College, where students ages 13–16 from underserved communities are now getting their own hands-on introduction to aerial robotics and drone technology.
Through this ripple effect, the Alabama Aeronautical Team is doing more than just building drones—they’re building futures.
With each flight, students are gaining confidence, skills, and a clearer vision of what’s possible. Whether they dream of careers in engineering, aerospace, programming, or beyond, their journey has already begun—right here, in rural Alabama, under the guidance of passionate mentors and with the support of dedicated partners.
The skies are no longer the limit. For these young minds, they’re just the beginning.
Thank you to the AMA Team.
Isaias Alezones
Executive Director
Saiasi Foundation
