Kimberly Anyadike facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kimberly Anyadike
|
|
|---|---|
.JPG)
Anyadike in 2009
|
|
| Born | February 1, 1994 Compton, California, U.S.A.
|
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles |
| Known for | Completing a transcontinental flight across the United States. |
Kimberly Ndidi Anyadike was born on February 1, 1994. She is an American pilot from Compton, California. In 2009, when she was just 15 years old, Kimberly made history. She became the youngest African American woman to fly a plane all the way across the United States. Her amazing journey went from Los Angeles, California, to Newport News, Virginia.
An adult safety pilot and a retired Air Force pilot flew with her. This retired pilot had been one of the famous Tuskegee Airmen from World War II. As she stopped in different cities, about 50 Tuskegee Airmen signed her plane. Kimberly completed the round-trip journey in a small, single-engine Cessna 172 plane. The whole trip took 13 days.
In 2015, the Tuskegee Airmen gave Kimberly their first Young Aviator's Award. This award recognized her amazing flying achievements. She later graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2016.
Contents
Kimberly's Early Life
Kimberly Anyadike grew up in Compton, California. She was born in 1994. She has an older brother and an older sister. Her parents are originally from Nigeria. Their family name, Anyadike, means "eye of the warrior" in the Igbo language.
Kimberly was a very active child. She took dance lessons and was a junior lifeguard at Venice Beach. She also volunteered at her church. From a young age, she loved medical science. Her mom even taught her to name all 206 bones in the human body! Kimberly also attended science classes at the Charles Drew University. This program helps young people learn about STEM subjects.
Learning to Fly
Kimberly started taking flying lessons when she was 12 years old. She joined an after-school aviation program. This program was offered by Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum for young people. She was inspired by another student, Jonathan Strickland. He became the youngest person to fly both a plane and a helicopter by himself on the same day.
Kimberly earned "museum dollars" by washing airplanes and doing other jobs at the Compton Airport. She used these dollars to pay for her flight lessons. The program also required her to keep good grades in school. Even though Kimberly says she has a fear of heights, she finds being in a plane's cockpit "an amazing experience."
Her Big Flight Across the Country
Kimberly slowly built up 100 hours of flying time. Then, she got the idea to fly across the entire country. She wanted to inspire other young people. She also wanted to honor the Tuskegee Airmen. These were brave African-American pilots who fought in World War II.
On June 29, 2009, 15-year-old Kimberly began her journey. She flew a single-engine Cessna 172 from Compton, California, to Newport News, Virginia. She then flew back, finishing the trip in 13 days. An adult safety pilot, Ronnell Norman, flew with her. Also, Major Levi H. Thornhill, an 87-year-old retired U.S. Air Force pilot, joined them. He was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen.
.jpg)
Kimberly made at least a dozen planned stops along her route. She even flew through thunderstorms when she crossed Texas. In Washington, D.C., Congresswoman Laura Richardson came to congratulate her. In Tuskegee, Alabama, the mayor declared July 2 to be "Kimberly Anyadike Day." During her stops, about 50 different Tuskegee Airmen signed her plane. Major Thornhill helped Kimberly meet these famous airmen.
No one had officially tracked this record before Kimberly's flight. However, she is considered the youngest African American woman to successfully fly a plane coast-to-coast across the United States. She might even be the youngest person of any background to do it.
When she arrived home on July 11, 2009, Kimberly received an award from the County of Los Angeles. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also invited her to visit the California State Capitol. In May 2015, Kimberly received the first Young Aviator's Award from the Tuskegee Airmen. In 2017, the Disney Channel interviewed Kimberly about her flight. This was for a special segment for Black History Month called 'True Heroes Are Timeless'.
College and Future Plans
For college, Kimberly went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She studied physiological science. She also had minors in African-American studies and Spanish. During her last year of college, she worked as a registered emergency medical technician. She also volunteered for the The Flying Samaritans. This group brings medical care to Tijuana, Mexico.
Kimberly graduated from UCLA in June 2016. She has said that she plans to go to medical school. Her goal is to become a cardiovascular surgeon, which is a doctor who performs heart operations.
Her Family's Aviation Spirit
Kimberly's older sister, Kelly, also took aviation lessons at Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum. In 2008, on her sixteenth birthday, Kelly made her own record. She became the youngest African American woman to fly four different types of planes in one day. Kimberly has shared that a friendly competition with Kelly helped inspire her to achieve her own flying goals.
