It wasn’t until 1997 that Reeves joined Women in Aviation International (WAI), later helping start the Washington State Chapter as a founding member in 2000. The chapter focuses on scholarships and events, representing WAI at the annual Northwest Aviation Conference, WomenFly! at the Museum of Flight, Alaska Airlines’ Youth Aviation Day at SeaTac Airport and their annual Girls in Aviation Day (GIAD) each September.
Girls in Aviation Day is, “a chance for girls to be exposed to the many aspects of aviation they haven’t considered,” said Reeves. The day is geared towards the wide variety of careers in aviation and aerospace. September’s event included girls from across the globe, including a group from Uganda who were able to hear first-hand from women working in the aviation industry, including Boeing, the FAA and Airlift Northwest. During the day each attendee had the opportunity to board a light aircraft and perform functions like raising and lowering flaps.
Reeves and the chapter are proud of the scholarships they’ve provided over the years and earlier this year they awarded two scholarships for $1500 each. In addition to the scholarships offered by the chapter, many more scholarships are available through industry sponsors and other chapters of WAI.
Reeves’ story includes owning three airplanes at present, “and paying for three hangars!” She’s also currently a student at Everett Community
College’s avionics program. “I never got the chance to finish my avionics certificate, so I’m doing it now,” she shared.
“The message we’d like to put out is that aviation is fun.” Through scholarships and inclusive events throughout the year, the Washington State Chapter of WAI continues to raise awareness and interest in careers in aviation.