Flying keeps youths grounded

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COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) - The defiant youth looked at the Air Force paraphernalia scattered throughout Joe McCarron's office 13 years ago and asked his counselor, ''How hard is it to become a pilot?''

''That was when the first inkling of SOARING came into my mind,'' McCarron told the Coeur d'Alene Press.

The boy, who had been on probation, was able to receive credit toward his required community service by washing airplanes, and McCarron was able to break through to help the trouble-prone adolescent.

And SOARING is still flying high.

The name stands for Special Opportunities Affirm Recognition In Noteworthy Goals.

''SOARING is an aviation metaphor and an aviation affirmation for kids going though adversity on the ground,'' McCarron said.

The program shows youth a path to overcome obstacles in their life by motivating them with the opportunity to fly in private aircraft, McCarron said.

McCarron was elated for the 11 students who graduated May 10 and took flight, the four pilots who volunteered, and the 50-60 family members in attendance.

''People just get joy,'' he said.

Pilots from Angel Flight, a national nonprofit, volunteer time, aircraft and aviation fuel to get the graduates off the ground. Jay Burdeaux of Northern Skies Air Center also offers his time and airport services to support the program.

McCarron is no stranger to working with groups for troubled youth. He founded the Idaho Drug Free Youth program before returning to his career as a licensed marriage and family therapist.

''I'm a pretty good grass roots guy,'' he said.

In preparation for flight, SOARING groups meet four times to work on their personal goals and to familiarize themselves with aviation.

On their initial visit, students pull model planes from a bag, and immediately, the haggling begins, McCarron said.

The kids must keep the planes they choose, and their homework is to determine what makes that plane unique, and what makes each of them unique.

Respect, goals and initiative are the three areas McCarron has kids focus on in their commitment to SOARING.

McCarron hopes to see SOARING continue to grow. He acknowledges the need for more facilitators, and emphasizes that they need not be licensed therapists.

Tyler, 13, was a recent graduate. His mother has breast cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.

On May 10, mother Cari Jordan, Tyler and younger brother Trevor, along with their pilot, went for a flight over the lakes and mountains of northern Idaho.

SOARING has helped Tyler to have ''insight and establish goals to look forward to'' as the child of a single parent living with cancer. His accomplishments are going to be different from other kids his age, Cari Jordan said.

''I think the SOARING program can help kids learn skills to cope with a parent living with a devastating disease,'' she said.

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