For as long as she can remember, Julia Hamel dreamed of flying planes. But, never imagined she’d be doing it at 17.

“It kind of clears my mind of everything and just be me and do what I want to do,” Julia Hamel, a Maine South High School student, said.

Through district 207’s career education plan, students like Julia are gaining credits for real world experience she hopes will set her on the right flight path to her dream job.

While she requests FAA clearance to fly, two Maine East students are doing the same, only on a much smaller set of wings.

“You’re a bird. That’s the best way I can put it. You’re going anywhere you want,” Hemil Patel, a junior at Maine East High School, said.

This first year, drone technology class has students reaching higher elevations than they ever thought possible.

“It’s something that gives you freedom,” Ken Adtkins, Tech Education Teacher, Maine East High School, said. “It’s so fun to take off and fly and see something from a totally different vantage point. It’s been a lot of fun to bring that to the classroom”

Not only are the students excited about the hands on experience the class provides, but elated after taking second place in the skills usa state competition just this month.

“I was like wow this is cool. I didn’t know how prepared I was until we got there,” Patel said. “Before the class I didn’t think that was something that I could do, like it was out of my ability”

It’s hard to see the world the same, after ascending to new heights. For Julia, it’s about changing perspectives.

“I want to be able to show other girls that I’s okay regardless of gender at all,” Hamel said.

And what’s possible when the sky’s the limit.