Two Dallas County residents among the first class at Virtual Air Traffic Control Academy

The Virtual Air Traffic Control Academy has its first three students, two of whom are from Dallas County.

Avery Smith of Selma, who graduated from Meadowview Christian School, said she wanted something new and interesting to do, so she decided to learn how to be an air traffic controller.

Selma High School graduate Paige Pritchett said she has always had a love of aviation. She first got the idea to work in an aviation-related area when she was in ROTC in high school and moved back to Selma to attend the program.

Melissa Gibson is from El-Reno, a small town near Oklahoma City. She said she wanted to be an air traffic controller in the Air Force, but they did not offer it.

All three say they have been enjoying the class, and that they are excited about the school and what the future promises after they graduate.

The three students are the first of what officials hope will be classes of from 25 to 50 students who come to Selma to complete the eight-month course. A foreign country has decided to send their trainees to Selma starting in April, according Dan Cunningham, COO of Advanced ATC, the company that brought the program to Craig Field Airport.