By Angela Satterlee
For more than two decades, EAA’s GirlVenture Camp has introduced high school girls to the many opportunities available in aviation, encouraging them to see themselves in an industry where women have historically been underrepresented. The camp combines hands-on learning, mentorship, networking, and the excitement of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh to inspire the next generation of aviation leaders.
Held July 19-22 during AirVenture 2026, this year’s camp welcomes 83 girls and is supported by 24 volunteer mentors. The campers explore aviation through interactive workshops, exclusive AirVenture experiences, and conversations with accomplished women who have built careers across the industry.
What began as a two-day program known as Women Soar You Soar has grown into a four-day experience while staying true to its original mission: showing young women that there is a place for them in aviation, no matter where their interests lie.
Throughout the four days, campers take part in hands-on workshops covering air traffic control communications, drone operations, aerospace engineering, circuitry, rocketry, flight simulators, and other STEM-focused activities. Organizers intentionally rotate many of the workshops from year to year since many campers return throughout high school, allowing them to discover something new with each visit while continuing to build confidence and technical skills.
Though the experience these girls gain extends beyond the classroom. Campers explore the AirVenture grounds, hear from industry professionals, and, weather permitting, enjoy a flight experience. One of this year’s featured speakers is retired astronaut and U.S. Air Force Col. Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command a NASA space shuttle mission. Military pilots, university representatives, engineers, and other aviation professionals also share their experiences.
One of the camp’s greatest strengths is the relationships formed between campers and mentors. Nearly one-third of this year’s mentors are former GirlVenture campers themselves, returning to encourage the next generation after building successful aviation careers. According to organizers, today’s students arrive with a stronger understanding of networking than in years past, and the camp helps turn those early connections into lasting professional relationships so the girls know they are not alone.
“There are women at our camp that stand with them. And so some of us have kept in touch with some of these campers for more than 10 years,” planning committee member Cindy Hasselbring said.
Organizers hope every camper leaves understanding that aviation offers opportunities far beyond becoming a pilot.
“I think the misconception is that kids have to pick a career path and stick with it their whole life. And they may want to join business but they may love aviation, and they don’t realize that there’s a career that merges those two. … Aviation’s a large ecosystem. Every career is needed,” Cindy said.
For GirlVenture Chair Debby Rihn-Harvey, that message has remained at the heart of the program since its beginning.
“Girls could do anything that they really wanted to do. I always tell everybody it’s mentoring and educating them about the diversity of aviation,” Debby said.
She believes exposing campers to the many career paths available helps them recognize that every passion can find a place in the aviation world.
“We try to cover all bases so that they know that if they want to get involved with aviation, they can do anything. It’s an empowerment type camp as well because years ago, well, especially in my childhood, women didn’t do a lot of the stuff that we do now.”
The camp concludes with a closing ceremony on Wednesday where campers are eligible for exclusive scholarships supporting postsecondary education, flight training, and EAA’s Air Academy. More importantly, they leave with new skills, lasting friendships, professional connections, and a greater understanding that aviation is an industry where their ambitions can truly take flight.