STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A group of Staten Island middle school students spent Saturday afternoon with two inspiring aviation pilots at the College of Staten Island in Willowbrook.

The event was hosted by the Staten Island Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, a group of mothers who came together to provide social, cultural and educational opportunities for youth ages 2 to 19.

Mariners Harbor native Kamora Freeland took to the skies at just 15 years old. By 17, she became the youngest African American pilot licensed in the state of New York, earning her wings even before she had a driver’s license.

According to the Sisters of the Skies, there are currently fewer than 150 Black women pilots in the United States holding Airline Transport Pilot, Commercial, Military, and/or Certified Flight Instructor Licenses.

In a field where less than 1% of commercial pilots are Black women, Freeland hopes to create pathways for the next generation by sharing her love of aviation.

Wearing her Tuskegee Airmen jacket, she spoke about her intense training, overcoming challenges, and her academic achievements, saying, “I never thought about flying a plane. I really wanted to be a marine biologist. But when I was 12 years old, my mom signed me up for a scholarship for United Youth Aviators, a program located in New York.”

Freeland explained that two police officers started the program to provide minority children with free scholarships to obtain their private licenses. She was on the waiting list for three years and won the scholarship when she was 15.

“When I went on my first flight, I thought it was pretty cool. I got to see the world from a different perspective. I flew over the ocean and saw the city. It was just so beautiful that I thought I could see myself doing this. But it wasn’t until I went home, and looked up how much money a pilot could make, and when I saw $700,000, I thought, ‘Okay, I’m going to be a pilot,’” Freeland said.

Lakema Freeland, a mother of three and owner of two daycare centers, shared her parenting philosophy, which she said helped lead to her daughter’s success in obtaining her pilot’s license.

She emphasized her hands-on approach, her full commitment to a child’s journey and the importance of limiting screen time and encouraging reading and writing.

“When people ask, ‘What’s the secret? How did you do that?’ I explain that they didn’t watch TV Monday to Friday. In their spare time, I made them read books and write an essay on a chapter that they read,” Freeland explained.

“Fully committing yourself to the children is very, very important. I just created a business so that I could stay home and fully commit myself to them, and it was worth it,” she added.

Also speaking at the meeting was Sophie Robinson, 16, a student pilot from Washington, D.C.

Robinson said her family’s involvement in aviation sparked her interest at a young age, explaining, “It started with my mom, who worked for Delta. I was exposed to a lot of travel and the aviation world in general at a young age. My uncle was a Marine pilot for a really long time, and then he transitioned to being a pilot for FedEx.”

She is currently working towards her student pilot certificate and preparing for the FAA exam. Her college aspirations include schools with strong aviation programs.

“If you’re looking to get into aviation, I would say do it. I think it’s really rewarding, even if you’re not super sure that you want to become a pilot or that you even want to be in the aviation field at all. It’s worth it to try it out, because it’s still really fun,” Robinson said.

Shelly-Ann Edwards, program director for the Staten Island Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, said the event wasn’t just about flying — it was about following your dreams.

Edwards said, “From Staten Island skies to global impact, Kamora and Sophie show our youth that dreams can take flight when you dare to lead. This event empowers our Big Kids, Tweens, and Teens to see themselves in the cockpit of possibility.”