Two students from Kent School District are reaching new heights after being selected among just 16 students statewide to receive scholarships from The Museum of Flight’s annual program. This year, the museum awarded a total of $276,000 in scholarships to support post-secondary education and flight training.
The honors were announced during a ceremony on May 14 at The Museum of Flight, celebrating outstanding students who have taken part in the museum’s aviation education programs. Lauren West and Josslyn Clements were chosen from 106 applicants representing 31 school districts across Washington.
Lauren West Earns Flight Training Scholarship
2026 Frank “Sam” and Betty Houston Flight Training Scholarship Recipient
Lauren West, a senior at Kentridge High School, is already charting a course toward the skies. Through Running Start, she attends Green River College while finishing high school, and she has immersed herself in aviation studies through the museum’s Private Pilot Ground School and Aeronautical Science Pathway program.
This fall, West will continue her journey at Central Washington University, where she plans to major in professional pilot studies with the goal of becoming a commercial pilot.
West credits the accessibility of aviation programs for helping her take off. “Many of the opportunities I have had through The Museum of Flight were free,” West said. “Having the opportunity to learn without a financial barrier has given me a feeling that I belong in this field… That sense of belonging is something I carry with me today and hope to pass along to others in the future.”
Josslyn Clements Advances in Aeronautical Science
2026 Aeronautical Science Pathway Scholarship Recipient
Fellow Kentridge High School senior Josslyn Clements is also gaining altitude through her passion for aviation. Like West, she participates in Running Start at Green River College and is enrolled in the Museum’s Aeronautical Science Pathway program.
Clements plans to continue at Green River College, building on the credits she has already earned to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Science. Her long-term goal: becoming a captain for Alaska Airlines.
Her hands-on experience has shaped both her education and confidence. “I believe that flying whilst getting my degree has been incredibly beneficial for my education. Getting to pick up bits and pieces of what I learned from flying and use that in the classroom has been ideal, and vice versa... I am truly grateful for the opportunities I have had; they have shown me true dedication and determination to become a professional pilot.”
From the classroom to the cockpit, West and Clements are proving that with opportunity, determination, and support, students can turn their ambitions into flight plans, and their dreams into destinations.