TEENAGE GIRL TO MAKE HISTORY BY FLYING “SEA TO SHINING SEA” Teenager believed to be youngest African-American female to pilot airplane transcontinentally.

Compton, California – June 8, 2009 (TAM) In tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, fifteen-year-old Kimberly Anyadike (on-ya-DEE-kay) will make history by piloting a single-engine red-tail airplane from Compton, CA to Newport News, VA and back to Compton. Departing on June 29^th with an estimated arrival date in Newport News of July 4^th, Anyadike will be accompanied by safety pilot Ronell Norman, as well as Tuskegee Airman Levi Thornhill after whom the airplane was named. Said Thornhill “I am honored to be an inspiration to this young mind and want to provide my expertise to help her accomplish her mission”.

The 10-day trip is sponsored by Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum (TAM) which provides scholarships and after-school programs for young aspiring pilots and at-risk youth. Kimberly has been a part of the Compton Airport–based program and has been flying since she was 12. Kimberly will visit with members of the East Coast chapter of TAM in hopes of inspiring and motivating her fellow students by showing if she can do it, they can too. Founder Robin Petgrave says “ We are proud that our program has enabled five kids to set 10 world records so far ”.

Kimberly’s older sister, Kelly, set a world record in 2008 by being the youngest African-American female to solo in four different fixed-wing aircraft on the same day which was her 16^th birthday. Both girls were inspired to their accomplishments by the Tuskegee Airmen, the African American pilots who flew with distinction during World War II as the 332nd Fighter Group of the US Army Air Corps. Safety pilot Norman is also a graduate of the TAM program and currently an airline pilot.

The trip will have several stops to allow other Tuskegee Airmen across the country to autograph the airplane so that their spirit will always fly with the students. One important stop will be in Washington, DC on July 7th, where Anyadike and Thornhill will be joined by Petgrave, actor John Schneider (Bo Duke from TV’s The Dukes of Hazzard), Emmy award-winning actor Lou Gosset Jr., reality TV’s Omarossa and others. The group plans to personally thank California Senator Dianne Feinstein, Congresswoman Laura Richardson and the First Family for their help and support in obtaining the Federal funding package for TAM that was recently approved by President Obama.

Besides being named after Thornhill, the red-tail Anyadike will fly is autographed by him and a permanent placard is mounted in the cockpit to remind the students that when they fly, the Tuskegee Airmen fly with them. Through TAM’s flight program, Petgrave stresses the importance of history, heritage and legacy by educating children about the Airmen. Each of TAM’s airfleet is named after, dedicated to and autographed by different living Tuskegee Airmen who often visit the TAM center.

In addition to aviation, TAM offers after-school educational programs, gang and drug intervention, life skills, safe haven and many other activities designed as an alternative to self- destructive behaviors. TAM is noted for being the recipient of a unanimously passed United States Congressional Resolution 532 in recognition of the museum’s achievement and success in teaching aviation, engineering, and flying to “at-risk” and economically disadvantaged minority students.

A fundraising gala celebrating Anyadike’s accomplishment will follow, giving the public an opportunity to meet and greet heroes of the past, present and future including keynote speaker Mae Jemison, NASA’s first African-American female astronaut. The star-studded event will include dinner and an auction with many celebrity-donated items. The gala will be held in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen at the World War II aviation- themed restaurant the Proud Bird in Los Angeles on July 25.

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