Scholarships, Grants and Awards

Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarships		Each year, The Ninety-Nines award Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarships and awards to qualified members for aviation education and flight training. Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarships have been used for the completion of everything from multi-engine ratings to airline transport pilot certificates, jet type ratings, and college degrees. Future Woman Pilot Awards help student pilot members to complete their private pilot certification. Sometimes special awards are available, such as the Maule Tailwheel Training Award. Applications for the Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarships and Awards are on our website beginning each August, with a submission deadline at the end of the year. For detailed information and application forms, go to our main AEMSF page. Various 99s Chapters and Sections also offer their own additional scholarships for anything from learning to fly to advanced ratings.
Ninety-Nines Award of Achievement		The Award of Achievement is presented to an individual member of The 99s (living or deceased), or a group of 99s. It is given to recognize a significant contribution to the mission of The 99s or any of the organization's activities, or any facet of aviation, such as aviation/aerospace education, aviation science, aviation history, aviation commerce, aviation legislation, etc. Verna West Verna West's mission was to become a student of aviation history and she became an invaluable resource for The Ninety-Nines. Not only did she take on the task of photographing, cataloging and documenting The Ninety-Nines Southwest Section history for the past twenty-six years, because of her tremendous knowledge of women's aviation history in general, she also became an invaluable asset for the Ninety-Nines Museum of Women Pilots in Oklahoma City. The Ninety-Nines Museum, along with the Smithsonian and Purdue University, houses the largest archival collection of women aviators in this country. Truly, the phrase, "preserving the past insures the future" describes the goal of this outstanding member. It is apparent to all, Museum Trustees, as well as the entire organization, that had Verna not found her passion for understanding the importance and accuracy of historical and photographic recording, the organization and women's aviation history would not be as rich as it now.   Pearl Bragg Laska Chamberlain Pearl Bragg Laska Chamberlain is an inspiration and an exemplary role model who opened the skies for each of us to follow and flourish as women in aviation. Pearl was born April 29, 1909 in the hills of West Virginia and learned to fly in 1933. Throughout her flying career, she shared her love of aviation and inspired others to pursue their dreams. Always enjoying a challenge, at age 87, Pearl checked out in an ultralight. At age 97, she failed her eye exam in one eye for her pilot license. Until this time, she had always passed her medical and held a current pilot license. In light of her years as a member of the Civilian Pilot Training Program, U.S. Navy and Air Force Flight Instructor, WASP, Alaskan commercial bush pilot and flight instructor, Powder Puff Derby pilot, university aviation instructor, ultralight pilot, and member of United Flying Octogenarians, we are honored to present the Award of Achievement to Pearl Bragg Laska Chamberlain.
Ninety-Nines Award of Merit		The Ninety-Nines Award of Merit recognizes individuals or organizations outside The Ninety-Nines who have made significant contributions to aviation, aviation education, science, aviation history or to The Ninety-Nines. Northwoods AirLifeline is a non-profit organization of volunteer pilots from Michigan's Upper Peninsula and northeast Wisconsin who donate their time and aircraft to help patients and their families with urgent medical needs for services not found locally, financially distressed, unable to travel by other means, or under severe time constraints. Northwoods Airlifeline was conceived by Bob Larson of Kingsford, Michigan in 1989. Bob and his wife Ruth still actively coordinate the group’s efforts. The organization recruits volunteer pilots, operates a dispatching network to receive and fill requests for transportation and conducts community education and fund-raising programs for its services. Since their founding, over 2000 missions have been flown to destinations in lower Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Connecticut, and Texas, all at no cost to the individual patient.
Award of Inspiration		The Award of Inspiration is given by the Board of Directors to a member whose contributions to The Ninety-Nines should be an inspiration to us all. Vee Gordon joined the Ninety-Nines in July 1964, as a member of the Colorado Chapter. After moving to Wichita in 1999, she joined the Kansas Chapter. She became a life member in 2002. Now a retired Vice President of the Pioneer Bank of Arizona, Vee used her flying skills to visit many bank branches. She has been a strong supporter of The Ninety-Nines and the 99s Museum of Women Pilots, and has made several sizeable contributions to both. She has served on the Building Maintenance Committee for the past two years, keeping abreast of all the needs of our Museum and Headquarters Building. Vee, with such grace and a sense of humor, has been an inspiration, not only to all of us, but to the youth of yesterday and today. When asked what her favorite hobby was, she replied, "Flying! Is there any other?"
President's Award		The President's Award honors those 99s and non-99s who, in the estimation of the President, have gone above and beyond in their service to the organization in a given year. The President's Award recognizes Larry Stubblefield & LWPB Architecture. Larry is an architecture and Manager of LWPB. He became acquainted with The Ninety-Nines when he was president of his own practice and carried our association with him when he joined LWPB Architecture in 2006. What started out as a small attempt to "plug a few leaks" turned into a much greater role in helping The Ninety-Nines develop a vision for their future. Along with the input of LWPB, Larry has become an advisor on the day-to-day care and maintenance of our Headquarters Building. It is no secret that the affiliation between Larry Stubblefield, LWPB, and The Ninety-Nines has become a special partnership. It is through this small token of recognition that we say thank you for the support and caring that you have given The Ninety-Nines. We look forward to a continued relationship as we improve our Headquarters Building and the 99s Museum of Women Pilots.
George Palmer Putnam Award		Amelia Earhart was a charter member of The Ninety-Nines and served as our first president. Her husband, George Palmer Putnam, was an enthusiastic supporter of all of her endeavors, including her work in organizing and promoting The 99s. The George Palmer Putnam Award recognizes the support provided to The 99s by an individual (male or female, living or deceased) or an organization that is neither a member nor a group within The 99s.   The George Palmer Putnam Award recipient is Glen Morrow, wife of Past-President Elaine Morrow. Glen has spent so much time and energy - and money - helping and promoting The Ninety-Nines and flying in general. He has been an invaluable partner to his wife, Elaine, as she has moved through Chapter and Section offices, and especially since she joined the International Board. Glen tirelessly supported Elaine during the two years she served as our International President. He has hauled boxes and run errands at International conferences, so much so that the hosts even send him "thank you" notes!
Katharine B. Wright Memorial Award		The Katharine B. Wright Memorial Trophy, honoring the sister of Wilbur and Orville Wright, is presented jointly by The Ninety-Nines and the National Aeronautic Association to a woman who has made a personal contribution to the advancement of the art, sport and science of aviation and space flight over an extended period of time. CAPTAIN KAREN LEE The Katharine Wright Award is presented to Captain Karen Lee for "her steadfast vision in pioneering UPS Airlines' leading, globally-recognized, research and implementation of ADS-B technology that is transforming the national air transportation system." Captain Lee has been an aviation pioneer almost her entire life. The daughter of an airline captain, she began flying at 16 and later earned flight hours as a flight instructor and charter pilot. She became the first female commercial pilot in Puerto Rico when she began flying for a charter company. She joined UPS in 1987, and later was promoted to several different management positions. She is currently director of operations for the UPS airline, the ninth largest airline in the world. In this role, Karen was responsible for UPS efforts in implementing ADS-B technology, a program that recently achieved aviation's highest honor - the Collier Trophy.