The Southwestern High School Class of 2023 Valedictorian has her sights set high in the air – quite literally.

McKinley Correll has been accepted into the Professional Flight program at Purdue University.

“It’s a pretty tough program to get into,” said Correll. “I was lucky enough to be one of the people selected to be in it.”

The program will provide multiple aviation options for Correll upon graduation. She is leaning toward being a commercial pilot for an airline but there will be private pilot options as well. She also wants to work with a youth aviation program to help other kids, especially girls, find their way into aviation.

“Columbus has this Young Eagles program where you can teach kids about flight,” she said. “I don’t know if Shelbyville has one, so maybe enhance that and make it more popular for young people who are wanting to go into that field.”

A chance conversation with a fellow Southwestern student that is part of the Young Eagles program in Columbus peaked her interest in flight. Correll was able to set up a flight with a pilot and was instantly hooked.

“We (flew) over the school and over my house,” she said. “It was amazing. Immediately when I got up in the air, it is supposed to be scary but I felt so at peace. It was beautiful up there. There is nothing like it.”

Two years through her educational track at Southwestern and ranked No. 1 in her class, Correll had no clear direction for her life.

“(Flying) is not something I’ve always wanted do,” she explained. “Before then, it was being a doctor or something different. For the longest time, it was pharmacy and I don’t know why because I hate Chemistry. I absolutely hate Chemistry.”

Correll even considered entering the military. And then she found aviation and considered applying to the Air Force Academy.

“My mom said absolutely not. My dad was like that’s the coolest thing ever. My dad was really on board,” said the youngest daughter of Curt and Jeanne Correll.

Correll settled on the Purdue option – if she could get accepted. She received her confirmation email from Purdue on the way to a high school basketball game with the Spartans.

“It was crazy and surreal,” she said. “It was like one of those experiences where you feel like time has stopped.”

Correll is now working diligently to earn her private pilot’s license.

“I have to get it before a certain date. It advances my core schedule at Purdue if I can get it now,” she said.

One of Southwestern’s most decorated athletes, Correll earned All-Mid-Hoosier Conference honors in golf, basketball and tennis her senior season.

“I really didn’t expect it,” said Correll. “With the graduating class last year, we lost some amazing athletes. I was just going to keep going for the experience and not expect any (individual) success.”

With her graduation, though, her schedule is a lot lighter than in previous summers.

“I feel so lazy,” she said. “I was (here at Southwestern) working out with my cousins and they are doing the (basketball) league here when it used to be at Edinburgh. I’m like, this is so weird. I don’t have to spend five days a week here. It’s nice because my days aren’t filled with anything but work. I feel like I need to start running or something. It’s nice but it’s weird.”

The Professional Flight program at Purdue comes with added expenses for Correll, which will keep her busy working throughout the summer.

“It will be a struggle especially since the program I am in is like three times the amount, but I guess they are not going to let a 19-year-old fly a plane for free,” she said.

This is the tenth in a series of feature stories from the Shelby County Post on Shelby County’s Class of 2023 valedictorians and salutatorians.

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