The Becki King Memorial Scholarship
The Wings Over Paradise Scholarship has been renamed to the Becki King Memorial Scholarship in memory of Becki King who earned her angel wings in September 2020.
Our chapter and local aviation community warmly remember Becki from her 16-year career as an air traffic controller at Page Tower at KFMY working for Robinson Aviation.
Becki’s aviation career began in the United States Air Force as an air traffic controller, Becki retired with the rank of Master Sergeant, serving in the US and overseas. Prior to joining the aviation community in Florida she worked for Midwest Aviation as a controller and then manager of the Hutchison, Kansas control tower.
Becki was well known for her dry wit and calm voice on the 119.0. Students and experienced pilots fondly remember Becki as a kind voice over the radio; she was patient with pilots in flight training when they made mistakes flying in the busy traffic pattern, and also celebrated their successes.
Becki socialized with area pilots on Hotdog Friday at Base Ops and spoke at aviation education seminars. She was a supporter of women in aviation, giving tours of the tower to our 99s chapter and donating her time, and energy to our chapter’s projects. Becki volunteered to be the tower controller on duty during the Air Race Classic in 2010, launching race aircrafts at 20 second intervals from runway 31. As the race began Becki called out over the radio,
“It’s a sea of estrogen out there!”
While living in Florida, Becki was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), a boater, and a dog owner. She also had a beautiful flower and fruit garden at her home in Lehigh Acres. After retirement she spent time in Colorado and Missouri until settling in Bella Vista, AR.
Becki’s support of the Ninety-Nines and aviatrix will live on through her memory and scholarship.
BECKI KING MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP - $2,000
This scholarship is dedicated to the late Becki King, who was an air traffic controller at Page Field, Ft. Myers, FL. Well known for her dry wit and calm voice, Becki was a longtime supporter of Paradise Coast 99s and women in aviation. This scholarship is offered by the Paradise Coast Chapter 99s for any phase of flight training (private pilot through ATP, including instructor ratings) to a qualified applicant.
Deadline: Check back February 2025
Requirements:
- Members or student member of Ninety-Nines
- Notify us about the status of any other scholarship or grant applications that you have pending at the time of submitting this application.
- Written test results, if applicable
- Preference is given to applicants who have passed the written test (if required for the rating).
- Be sure to include in your essay the projected cost of flight training and materials needed to earn the rating for which you are applying.
- Please state how you are planning to fund the balance of your training, if you win this award.
Limitations:
- Must be a Florida resident - submit proof of Florida residency (e.g., driver’s license, voter registration, utility bill
Scholarship winners will be notified on or before May 1.
Feel free to reach out to our Chapter Scholarship Chair with questions
paradisecoast99s@gmail.com for more information. Include “SCHOLARSHIP” in the subject line of the email
2024 Becki King Memorial Scholarship Recipients
Christy Kahealani-Szabo and Cristina Migoni-Jones
Featured in photo, Left to Right: Cristina Migoni Jones, me, Christy K and Claudia Cohen, Chapter Co-chair
Cristina Migoni-Jones
Christy Kahealani-Szabo
Christy Kahealani-Szabo
Cristina is a private pilot from Naples, Florida. She is currently working on her instrument rating with plans to continue onto commercial and CFII. Cristina aspires to become a flight instructor.
Advice that Cristina shares with other woman pursuing their aviation goals:
Find your tribe, your people, surround yourself with supportive positive people who believe in you and your aviation journey, you are going to need them someday when you are down and want to quit. Be kind, gentle and patient with yourself, it takes time to learn to fly ups and downs are part of the process.
Get involved in aviation organizations. Hard work pays off, study, study, study, hit the books hard.
Most important don't give up "don't leave before the miracle happens".
Christy Kahealani-Szabo
Christy Kahealani-Szabo
Christy Kahealani-Szabo
Christy is a private pilot who has earned her 107 rating among many others! She has served Paradise Coast 99s in many capacity including merchandise sales, vice-chair and chair.
2022 Becki King Memorial Scholarship Recipient - Irene Lopez
We are please to shared that the 2022 Becki King Memorial Scholarship recipient is Irene Lopez.
Irene is a private pilot from Miami, Florida. She is a member of the Florida Goldcoast 99s, WPA and LPA. She is active in the aviation community through fundraising. Irene aspires to become a commercial cargo pilot with intentions of learning as much as she can about seaplane, helicopter, glider, drone, mountain and bush flying.
As Irene continues her aviation journey, she plans to give back to the aviation community to serve as a positive role model for young or not so young ladies, showing them that they can dream and make being a pilot or any non-traditional career part of their story at any stage of life.
Advice that Irene shares with other woman pursuing their aviation goals:
One of the hardest ones is self-compassion. Give yourself the time to process feelings and thoughts when things are not going that well. Don’t compare yourself to others but remember that to make it happen you need to study, study, study and keep studying. Maximize every possible moment to learn or refresh your knowledge (I drove my husband crazy with my study podcasts what I would play while driving). When burnout do something fun non-aviation related if it works for you, or just fly for fun and remember what is it that you love and why. Rest but NEVER quit.
2021 Becki King Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Sherry has demonstrated the spirit of the ninety-nines in her chapter efforts and her personal determination in becoming. We look forward to celebrating her future celebrations!
2020 Wings Over Paradise Scholarship Winner Announced!!
On behalf of the scholarship committee, we are elated to announce the recipient of the 2020 Wings Over Paradise Scholarship :
CONNIE LEEGE
A note from Connie:
Ladies of Paradise Coast 99’s,
Thank you so very much for the scholarship. What a wonderful boost of encouragement during this COVID-19 time. I’ve been studying for my written exams and getting very anxious to fly again. I will be finishing up my instrument rating with these funds and then on to commercial. Each and everyone of you are such an inspiration to me, what an amazing group of ladies!!!
Thank you!!
Sincerely,
Connie Hite-Leege
We are very proud of your hard work Connie and look forward to seeing you soar!
We will be awarding 2021 Wings Over Paradise Scholarship the spring of 2021!
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