Amelia Earhart: Reaching for the Sky

Written by: Paige Leal

When people hear the name Amelia Earhart, they usually think of airplanes and one of history’s greatest mysteries. But Amelia Earhart was much more than a famous pilot. She was a record-breaking aviator, writer, teacher, and outspoken supporter of women’s rights. Most people do not know this about her, thinking that all she did was “just fly a plane”. At a time when many careers and opportunities were still largely closed to women, Earhart proved that women could aim just as high as men, both figuratively and literally

Amelia Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas, in 1897. As a child, she was adventurous and interested in activities that were not always considered “ladylike” at the time. Her interests with aviation grew once she experienced her first airplane ride in 1920. She quickly began taking flying lessons. In 1922 she set a women's altitude record by flying to 14,000 feet.

Earhart became internationally famous in 1928 when she crossed the Atlantic Ocean by airplane as a passenger. Although she was not piloting the plane, the experience made her determined to complete the journey herself. Four years later, in 1932, she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. The accomplishment turned her into one of the most famous people in the world and showed that women could succeed in a field dominated by men.

Earhart used her fame to encourage other women. She gave lectures, wrote about aviation, and spoke out against the lack of opportunities available to female pilots. In 1929, she helped organize the first women's transcontinental air race and helped found the Ninety-Nines, an organization created to support female aviators. She also supported women's legal rights and used her public influence to advocate for greater equality.

Earhart also challenged traditional expectations in her personal life. When she married publisher George Putnam, she wanted their relationship to be an equal partnership and kept her own last name. At a time when women were often expected to give up careers for marriage and family, Earhart continued flying, working, and building her own career with her own name. She became a powerful example of independence for women across America.

In 1937, Earhart attempted to fly around the world with navigator Fred Noonan. During the journey, their plane disappeared over the Pacific Ocean near Howland Island, and neither Earhart nor the aircraft was ever recovered. What exactly happened to her is still a secret to the world.

Although her final flight remains a mystery, Amelia Earhart's impact is anything but mysterious. She broke aviation records, challenged stereotypes, and encouraged women to pursue opportunities that society had often told them were not for them. Even her name is perfect for her, Earhart sounding like AIR- heart, which is exactly where she loved to be, flying up in the sky.