New Drones At Ramapo

Rebecca LeMoult, Staff Writer

Despite being a new program on Ramapo’s curriculum, the aviation course already has support from outside patrons.

The course itself was developed by the Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association, and teaches students about aviation in order to open them up to possible careers in that field. It is a four year sequence that is offered at the CPE level; students can earn 5 credits from the first year of class alone. It also allows students to earn industry credit through written exams.

To further the impact of the program, businessman and author Marc Demetriou recently donated 10 Telo drones to Ramapo. Demetriou is a graduate of Rutgers University and Rutgers Business School, and as a Senior Vice President of Mortgage Lending at Guaranteed Rate, he was featured in journal NJBIZ’s “40 Under 40” list. Demetriou believes in making a difference in the lives of those around him in any way possible. Explaining his donation, he says; “Ramapo is a great example of a high school meeting the needs of their students by offering a diverse array of classes. I’m happy to support them by contributing to their new aviation program.”

The aviation students can be seen joyfully using the new drones near the football field. Erin Wiese, who runs the Aviation program, says; “We are so grateful for this donation and Marc’s support for our budding aviators.”

With the drones, the students in the aviation program will likely be able to further their understanding and knowledge of aviation. The donation also hopefully represents a modern, technology-filled future for Ramapo.