NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The famed Blue Angels will take off for a spectacular flight at the New Orleans Air Show in Belle Chasse this weekend. Ahead of the big event, the Blue Angels took a key community influencer for a ride in the sky.
The program selects one person who helps shape attitudes and opinions of young people and takes them on the ride of their life. This year, that person was Bryoni Prentice.
“I’m just super passionate about making sure that kids know what’s out there so that they can make a difference,” Prentice explains.
Tucked away on I-10 Service Road in Metairie is a building where science thrives — the STEM Library Lab. It’s a place where science educators can find everything they need for their students.
And at the heart of it all, you’ll find Prentice, the program director for Electric Girls, a non-profit that gets young girls involved in STEM.
“Electric Girls basically strives in getting as many girls as possible knowing about STEM and loving science, seeing that there’s not many,” Prentice adds. “The field is like ten percent women.”
Electric Girls organizes summer camps for girls focused on robotics, chemistry, and all things science.
It’s because of Prentice’s positive impact on her community that she was nominated by her manager to be the Blue Angels’ Key Influencer rider.
“As far as the Blue Angels giving me the opportunity to basically showcase who I am and what I’m about — I think that it’s just a super great opportunity.”
After weeks of anticipation, the day finally arrived for Prentice to take off on her Blue Angels flight from the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Belle Chasse.
Filled with excitement and adrenaline, members of the U.S. Navy strapped Prentice up, preparing her for the ride of a lifetime.
Prentices used the final moments before take-off to snap a few pics while Lt. Griffin Stengal prepared for flight. And then, it was finally time.
The Blue Angels jet was through the clouds in a matter of seconds. And of course, she had to experience a few tricks while in the clouds.
After about 45 minutes, Lt. Stengal flew Prentice back to the base as we eagerly awaited her arrival. Then, we asked her about her epic ride.
“I would describe it as a euphoric dream, where you do not know what’s going on — and the next minute, you’re just kind of trying to figure out what just happened. It was great.”
Prentice was greeted by her husband and three beautiful daughters when she landed, proving to all of them the sky is the limit.
The 2022 New Orleans Air Show takes flight on Saturday, March 20 at 10 a.m., located at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Belle Chasse. For more information, click here.