AEA Educational Foundation Announces Scholarship Winners
The Aircraft Electronics Association's Educational Foundation announces the names of the individuals who were awarded scholarships for the 2025-26 academic year. Since its inception, the AEA has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships.
The 2025-26 individual recipients are as follows:
- Aircraft Lighting International Scholarship: Daksh Jhanjee of Duluth, GA
- Chuck Freeland Memorial Scholarship: Leonel Turcios of Katy, TX
- Chuck Peacock Memorial Scholarship: Sara-Ann Ganeau-Brown of Captain Cook, HI
- Dutch and Ginger Arver Memorial Scholarship: Sam Coley of Hoover, AL
- Garmin Scholarship: Zane Crabtree of Duluth, MN
- Garmin - Jerry Smith Memorial Scholarship: Calvin Wickersham of Council Bluffs, IA
- Gogo Scholarship: Hyungyu "Andy" Cho of Port Orange, FL
- Johnny Davis Memorial Scholarship: Kyle Rush of Houston, PA
- Kevin Miesbach Memorial Scholarship: Averiee Baucom of Portage, MI
- Lee Tarbox Memorial Scholarship sponsored by Pacific Southwest Instruments: Fernando Avila of Waldorf, MD
- Marshall Temple Memorial Scholarship: Sebastian Cifuentes-Orjuela of Oak Harbor, WA
- Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics Scholarship: Alex Christensen of Hartington, NE
- Monte Mitchell Scholarship: Ben Brady of Bismarck Aero Center in Bismarck, ND; Rianna Lee of First Flight Aviation in Miamisburg, OH; and John Hynes of Integrity Aero in Kissimmee, FL
- Pat Napolitano Memorial Scholarship: Isaiah Heethuis of Byron Center, MI
- Sporty's Foundation Scholarship: Sonish Joseph of Ooltewah, TN
- Susan T. Friedle Scholarship: Breanna Crouch of Loveland, CO
- Universal Avionics Scholarship: Braxtton Johnson of Broken Bow, NE
The AEA Educational Foundation annually awards scholarships to students pursuing a career in avionics or aircraft maintenance, as well as students from AEA member companies. The foundation was created in 1990 to enhance, promote and secure the future of aviation maintenance by furthering the education of students, technicians, members of the AEA and others as determined by aviation industry needs.
Individuals interested in one or more of these scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year may download an application after Oct. 1, 2025, at aea.net/scholarship.