Future Aviators

The Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society believes it is important to encourage students to further their education, not only for personal enrichment, but to keep business and the national economy thriving. The Society offers an annual scholarship program to young aviation enthusiasts and the Tony Jannus Essay Contest to spark aviation industry interest in grade-school students.

Tony Jannus Scholarship

In January of 1914, Tony Jannus flew a Benoist airboat from St. Petersburg to Tampa and established the Bay Area as the home of the first scheduled airline. Each year, the Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society honors a historic aviation achievement by recognizing a distinguished individual for outstanding contributions to scheduled air transportation.

The society also looks to the future by awarding six academic scholarships totaling $15,000 to aspiring aviation leaders enrolled at institutions of higher learning. The scholarship applicants must meet the following criteria and conditions:

• Junior or Senior with a minimum GPA of 3.0
• Strongly interested in pursuing a civilian or military career in Aviation Management, Operations or Research and Development
• Submit an approximately three-hundred word essay, “Why I am interested in pursuing a career in aviation."

2007 Scholarship Winners:
Brian D'Leon, junior, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Robert Thompson, senior, University of South Florida
Ariel Garcia, senior, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Patrick House, senior, University of Tampa
Andrew Serpa, juinior, University of South Florida

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Tony Jannus Student Essay Contest

The Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society is proud to partner with the Florida Council on Economic Education to offer the Tony Jannus Student Essay Contest during the school year. Students in grades 9 - 12* are provided the opportunity to submit an essay of 1000 - 1500 words that integrates the following:

• The history of commercial aviation in the U.S., with emphasis on one of the previous winners of the Tony Jannus Award.
• Florida's role in the development of commercial aviation.
• Jobs created directly and indirectly through the growth of commercial aviation.

* Participants must be enrolled in a Florida school at the time of award.

To enter the 2008 Tony Jannus Essay Contest, open the Entry Form. The PDF form will open in a new window and allow you to type in the required information. Once you have entered your information, click on the blue "Submit Form" button and it will open an email message with the form attached. Attach your essay and send it to the Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society to enter the contest. The deadline to enter is September 15, 2008.

2007 Tony Jannus Essay Contest Winner:
Johnnie Bryars Byrd, III, Plant City High School