Instructor Terry Andre Hayes has personally paid for drones for students to fly at his alma mater, Evan E. Worthing Early College High School in Houston.

The 1979 Worthing graduate and Naval Science instructor at the school sees drones as a pathway to success for his students, but the financial burden of supplying equipment has been a significant challenge.

“I spent a couple of nights on the couch,” Hayes joked, referring to his personal investment in the program.

That burden has now been lifted through HireSmart Cares, a Georgia-based nonprofit that shares Hayes’ commitment to creating opportunities for youth. The organization recently awarded a $3,911.93 grant to expand Worthing’s drone program, providing the equipment needed to take student training to the next level.

“We do have practice drones that they (the students) have been practicing with, but we didn’t have the ones that we needed for competition,” said Hayes. “But thanks to HireSmart and First Sergeant Ramey, we now have the equipment and the funding to do what we need to do to become competitive in our discipline.”

First Sergeant Francisco Ramey, a Georgia JROTC instructor who serves as HireSmart’s ambassador in spreading drone education programs to JROTC units nationwide, recently hand-delivered a check to Hayes. After demonstrating drone operations for Worthing students earlier this year, Ramey returned in November to present the grant.

The grant will fund the purchase of Holy Stone and CoDrone EDU drones, carrying cases, power packs, maintenance equipment, and transportation costs for the program’s students. The investment aligns with HireSmart’s mission of providing young people with the tools, teaching, and technology they need to build successful futures without taking on crushing educational debt.

Hayes’ dedication to his students mirrors HireSmart’s commitment to the next generation. Hayes’ 51 students maintain an average 3.52 GPA while participating in Houston Community College’s dual credit program.

“When my freshman class comes on board, I immediately get them into the early college program where they can start taking college classes at a local community college,” he said. “They also earn college credit and are awarded a waiver for their tuition. So all 51 students were awarded a waiver for their first two years at Houston Community College.”

Hayes discovered his passion for drones through his son, a Navy man.

“When my son came home with a drone from Japan, I bought a drone and we would go out and fly them together, and that’s how I got into drones,” he said. “I own about two or three drones myself, and when I became an instructor here, I knew I wanted to start a drone program here at Worthing.”

The program operates in multiple spaces at Worthing.

“We have two gymnasiums here at the school where we fly drones,” said Hayes. “We also have another area, which we call the tech building. It’s a pretty wide-open area, so our kids have ample enough space to fly indoors. When it’s not too windy, we go outside.”

Hayes keeps students engaged by making the learning experience enjoyable.

“As long as you make it fun for them, they will always want to be part of it,” he said.

The drone program is part of Worthing’s National Defense Cadet Corps (NDCC).

“Without funding, now for three years, and with the help of myself, my wife, and a few other sponsors, we’ve helped build this program to where it is today,” said Hayes. “And we’ve spent countless hours getting the kids ready. They’re very excited about the program.”

According to Salary.com, the average drone pilot salary hovers around $82,976 per year. However, this number varies significantly based on factors such as industry, location, experience, and freelance versus full-time. That means the drone operator skill set offers students a promising career path without requiring a four-year degree. This perfectly aligns with HireSmart’s mission of helping young people succeed without taking on burdensome student loans at a time when the average debt for a 4-year Bachelor’s degree is $35,530, according to the Education Data Initiative.

Hayes has big plans for the drone program.

“I see my students being the first school in our district to win a championship in drone competition,” he said. “I want to see my kids go off and do something, maybe with the police department or the fire department, get their licenses, and become certified.”

The instructor also hopes to expand the program’s competitive reach.

“I would like to see our school hold their first drone competition here,” Hayes said. “I was talking to First Sergeant about getting our obstacle course. That’s one thing I want to work on in the future. And we want to invite other students from our school to compete in our district and also in the state.”

The HireSmart grant will help Hayes achieve these goals while preparing students for careers in an expanding field. Drone technology has numerous

applications across various industries, including real estate, power companies, photography, cinematography, and firefighting. The construction industry and public safety services increasingly rely on drones for aerial surveillance and assessment.

For Hayes, the HireSmart grant represents more than just new equipment — it’s an investment in his students’ future success, which is why Hayes returned to his alma mater.

“That’s why I’m here,” Hayes said. “That’s why I’m trying to build the program.”

Through the partnership between Hayes and HireSmart Cares, with First Sergeant Ramey serving as the bridge between Georgia and Texas, more young people can pursue rewarding careers in drone technology.

To hear Co-founder Mark Lackey talk about HireSmart Cares’ mission, visit hiresmartcares.org/impact. To help HireSmart expand the drone program to more schools, click here.

Contact Lackey at info@hiresmartcares.org, or email First Sergeant Ramey at frameyrotc@gmail.com to learn more.