The Fern Creek High School film club was at Baxter Avenue Theaters for a red-carpet premiere of its newest feature, Mis-Fortuned.

The arrival of a massive Black Hawk helicopter, which landed on the school's practice football field, left students amazed.

Seneca's Health Science Academy is an Academies of Louisville program — one of dozens spread throughout 15 Jefferson County high schools that give students career-themed lessons to increase their readiness for life after graduation.

Today academy programs are in 15 high schools, some are unique to one school while others are offered in several. Building on its success, the district established the Explore Pathways model in 2022 and began offering middle school students in 14 buildings exposure to different career fields.

"This is one of the events that we do to try and engage our female students," said Rachelle Wood, Shawnee High School Academy coach. "That's why we focus on having female representatives here." 

From flying in a plane to soaring off to space, the school’s aviation program gets girls involved in their field of interest.

Workers from UPS, the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, along with airline and aviation employees, were on hand to talk with the students interested in a career in the aviation industry.

Students had the opportunity to get hands on with a flight simulator or a drone-- and employers and representatives from the World of Aviation came to speak.

According to the organization Women in Aviation, women account for less than 20% of the aviation workforce and less than 5% are airline pilots. The Academy at Shawnee in Louisville is trying to close that gap and make the skies more female-friendly with its ‘Girls in Aviation Day.