Senior Javier Pena-Reyes looks down at a sea of red and green while 1,000 feet over his home crowd at Woodforest Bank Stadium.

“I was really excited,” Reyes remarked.

But on the inside he was nervous.

“To be honest I was nervous, but I was excited and nervous at the same time” Reyes said.

Reyes had an opportunity to do a Woodforest Bank Stadium flyover during the TWHS homecoming game on Oct. 22. In the fall of 2020 Reyes applied for the AFJROTC Flight Academy, mid pandemic and in the midst of the online school world Reyes didn’t remember he applied.

“At first I completely forgot I applied,” Reyes explained.

But his acceptance is only his first step in this aviation journey. After school ended in Maym he flew out to Delaware to partake in the two month long flight academy.

“It’s like a AP class from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.” Reyes remarked

But this experience was very rewarding for Reyes.

“Graduation was cool” Reyes said “The best part is when they ripped off your nametag without wings and put the one with wings on.”

After he graduated, Reyes went back to school and was focusing on academics and swimming. He had not flown in a couple months when he was presented the opportunity to fly over the homecoming game against Grand Oaks.

“I was nervous since it had been a while since I had flown,” Reyes said.

After the flyover Reyes had the opportunity to talk to several important people including CISD Superintendent Dr. Curtis Null and principal Dr. Ted Landry.

“Overall it was a really great experience,” said Reyes.

If Reyes were to give advice to future applicants or people interested in the aviation world it would be: “It’s a tough program, definitely not a walk in the park, but in the end after you finish your checkride, and your instructor tells you that you passed it’s just the best feeling” Reyes explained.