FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cleared for Takeoff: MOV Airport’s New Partnerships Open Doors for Students
PARKERSBURG, WV - The Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport has officially partnered with Hamilton Middle School and Williamstown Middle/High School through the Chamber of Commerce’s Partner in Education program. This collaboration aims to introduce students to career opportunities in aviation and foster early interest in fields such as piloting, air traffic control, aviation mechanics, and airport operations.
The signing ceremony, which took place at the airport, marks a significant step toward connecting local students with hands-on learning experiences in an industry vital to the region’s economy.
Kevin Campbell, Principal at Hamilton Middle School, emphasized the importance of this partnership in broadening students' career horizons.
“The greatest impact is probably going to be in terms of career and technical education and links to those opportunities for kids,” Campbell said. “With middle school students, we're mostly about opening doors, giving them an awareness of things beyond themselves and opportunities they might not otherwise think of. It’s a wonderful opportunity to expand horizons for our kids.”
Williamstown Middle/High School Principal Jason Ward echoed these sentiments, highlighting the airport's proximity as a unique student advantage.
“We already have students working here, and now this partnership allows for even more career opportunities, field trips, and exploration,” Ward said. “Even though we are less than five miles away, many students might not have thought about aviation as a career path. But once they see the opportunities, especially close to home, they can start getting excited and even gear their education toward those pathways.”
MOV’s Operations Manager, Sydnie Beall, shared the airport’s motivation for engaging with students at an early stage.
“We were inspired to do this because we’ve had a lot of community events lately, and we’ve seen more and more kids get excited about aviation,” Beall said. “We want to inspire the next generation to explore the aviation industry—from pilots to air traffic controllers to airport firefighters. There’s a whole world out there, and we want to show them the possibilities.”
MOV Airport Manager Ben Auville emphasized this initiative's long-term vision, which aligns with local and state efforts to develop the aviation industry in West Virginia.
“There are long-term plans in place, both at the state and federal levels, to bring in aviation-related industries to our region,” he said. “The goal is to get students interested now, so when these industries establish themselves, we already have a skilled local workforce ready to step into these roles. By partnering with our schools, we’re ensuring that kids know these career paths exist and can start preparing for them early.”
The airport has already seen success in engaging students in aviation. For example, a student from Williamstown High School participated in a partnership with Rivertown Aviation and went on to study aviation mechanics at Pierpont Community and Technical College. This new initiative seeks to formalize and expand opportunities for even more students.
The Partners in Education program, facilitated by the Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley, continues to build bridges between schools and local businesses to support workforce development and student career exploration. Jill Parsons, President & CEO of the Chamber, applauded the new partnership.
“The Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport’s commitment to engaging with our students is exactly what the Partners in Education program is all about,” Parsons said. “By fostering these connections, we’re not just enriching classroom learning—we’re creating real-world pathways for success in our community.”
As the partnership takes off, students at Hamilton and Williamstown Middle Schools can look forward to interactive learning experiences, site visits, mentorship opportunities, and potential hands-on training in the future.
Businesses interested in joining the Partners in Education program can contact the Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley at (304) 422-3588 or email info@movchamber.org.
Courtesy of Bert Webb