JANESVILLE, Wis. -- The annual Southern Wisconsin AirFEST show is creating a ton of excitement in the skies above Janesville.

The show is also helping to fuel dreams of flight for some high school students.

Anyone curious about learning to fly would want to get in the air after seeing the show. And whether they know it or not, visitors to the show are helping students to do just that.

Janna Drew still gets a thrill seeing the stunt shows that aerobatic pilots put on, even if that isn't the type of flying she now does. Drew is a graduate of the Wisconsin Aviation Academy, a program that allows high school students to earn a pilot's license. The Aviation Academy is largely funded by the proceeds brought in at AirFEST.

Before discovering the Air Academy, Drew wasn't sure how she would make her flying dreams come true.

"I always wanted to fly before that, but I guess I never seriously considered paying for flight lessons on my own. It wouldn't have been realistic," said Drew.

"The Wisconsin Aviation Academy is really the only one like it in the country. There are other aviation high school programs, but they're often publicly funded and more academically related. This is both academics and flying, and up until this past year it's been 100% free. The academy was actually the founding organization of Southern Wisconsin AirFEST," said Tom Morgan, Southern Wisconsin AirFEST founder and director.

Drew said the Aviation Academy gave her more than a chance to fly.

"You learn a lot of responsibility, because obviously, if you're up there in a plane by yourself, you have to take charge of yourself," said Drew.

While she still isn't ready to take on the loops and rolls common to the stunt shows seen at AirFEST, Drew still gets the occasional chance to show off what she's learned.

"When I fly now, I usually just take friends up. Fly over their houses. It's always cool the first time you see your house from the sky," said Drew.

Unfortunately, the opportunity that Drew and others have taken advantage of may become more limited. Funds reserved to pay for the Wisconsin Aviation Academy have largely dried up and officials are hoping this year's AirFEST will do enough to continue offering the program at no cost.

For more information on the Wisconsin Aviation Academy, call 608-373-0904.