Holmes Middle School holds helicopter landing event for students

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)- On Monday, dozens of students from Holmes Middle School got a special visit from a United States Air Force pilot who landed a helicopter outside of their school.

The idea behind this Air Force helicopter landing is to motivate students to chase their dreams. Whether it's joining the military one day or going to college or getting right into the workforce. 

For most people, seeing a helicopter up in the air is pretty neat, but getting to see an Air Force helicopter to land at your middle school is an experience to remember. Students from Holmes Middle School in Colorado Springs got to experience just that… 

"It's just a really cool opportunity to see role models in a profession that they think they want to pursue. And that's absolutely what it is, professional, strong, quality people," said Tony Carr, Principal at Holmes Middle School.

But what makes this helicopter landing so special is that it's a homecoming for pilot Andre Young.

"Yeah, this is really cool, because, the captain, he went through Holmes Middle School when he was in middle school and then graduated from Coronado High School," added Carr.

Young attributes much of his success to school counselors from District 11 who pushed him to follow his dream. 

 "I always knew I wanted to be a pilot, but just flying one of these, that's when I was at the academy that I really figured out that that's where I want to go," added Young.

He said he hopes to inspire kids just like him.

"I love the life that I live." "Just being able to show people that, hey, like, this is something that you can do. And having an experience like this I think is definitely a good way to branch into that," added Young.

Young's mom started at Holmes Middle School 25 years ago. He hopes to be able to continue this tradition with her and the school in the years to come.