Fourteen-year-old Monet Hendricks didn't think it would be possible to have a tighter-knit school than Aviation High.

The 200 freshmen and sophomores share a passion for flying with teachers, staff and volunteers.

But a sudden tragedy has brought the school community even closer together, according to Monet.

Fifteen-year-old Brittany Boatright and 14-year-old Kandyce Cowart, both from Burien and both freshmen at Aviation High, were killed Oct. 15 when a single-engine plane they were riding in crashed near Everett's Paine Field.

Also killed was volunteer pilot David Hokanson, 67, of Mercer Island.

Brittany and Kandyce were among the first group of about 20 students in a dozen planes to take off from Boeing Field on the sunny Saturday morning.

The event was part of an Aviation High PTSA program to introduce young people to flying and was not sponsored by the Highline School District, which operates the school.

Despite the deaths, principal Reba Gilman said no parents have sought to withdraw their children from the school. Since the accident, she has met with applicants and their parents who want to enroll, she said.

According to a letter sent by Gilman to Aviation High students, parents and families, Mrs. Cowart said in effect at a gathering the night after Kandyce died, "that Kandy would not want anyone at AHS to lose their passion, due to her death, for aviation or the pure joy of flying."

During a science class, Mrs. Cowart urged students to take the voluntary flights and added, "I will be there to see the smiles on your faces when you get off the airplanes."

Students Vidal Men, Hayley McJunkin and student body president Derek Schlieps admit they aren't quite sure they are yet ready to fly.

Sophomore DeShawn Harris had been taking flying lessons before the accident but was badly shaken following the crash, Gilman noted.

Volunteer pilot Peter Morton took DeShawn up on a windy day last week with his grandparents from Yakima watching at Boeing Field.

"When DeShawn got back, he was grinning ear to ear," Gilman noted.

Haley remembers her classmate Brittany as "kind of quiet, but really nice."

Brittany was described by her family as a gifted student who planned to attend Harvard University. She wanted to become a commercial pilot and work in the space program.

Also an artist, Brittany donated all her allowance and chore earnings to charity, according to family members.

Her hero was pioneer female aviator Amelia Earhart.

On her application to Aviation High, Brittany wrote that Earhart "opened my eyes to the world of flying for women."

Besides earning a pilot's license, she hoped to build a spacecraft that would "take pictures and gather information on other planets."

Brittany attended Gregory Heights Elementary and Sylvester Middle schools before transferring to Aviation High this year.

Brittany's memorial service is scheduled at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 15236 21st Ave. S.W.

While Brittany was quiet, her friend Kandyce was "really outgoing, always positive and always smiling," Vidal remembers.

Kandyce loved reading, Teddy bears, the ocean, traveling, baking, tutoring, taking care of her family - and aviation, according to her family.

Her family reported she "came alive" when talking about flight.

She wanted to obtain a pilot's license so she could teach others to fly.

She attended an aviation camp in Moses Lake last summer and couldn't stop talking about flying, according to a family member.

Kandyce attended Burien's Cedarhurst Elementary in second and third grades before her family moved out of the area. They returned and she attended Sylvester Middle before enrolling at Aviation High.

A memorial service was held Oct. 22 for Kandyce at Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church.

The Cowart family asked that in lieu of flowers, donations of Teddy bears be brought to the service. The Teddy bears were donated to local emergency relief efforts in Kandyce's name.

A fund to benefit the girls' families has been set up at U.S. Bank, account No. 1535 5735 1472. Checks may be written to "Brittany Boatright and Kandyce Cowart" and deposited at any U.S. Bank branch. For more information, call Karen Rupert at 206-390-2068.

Aviation High was among four high schools spotlighted earlier this year by CBS-TV's morning show. CBS producers chose it as one of the most promising theme-based high schools in the country.

The school is administered by the Highline School District but accepts students from other districts. One current student is from Africa, according to Gilman.

The curriculum focuses on aeronautics. One hundred students became the inaugural class in September 2004.

Another 100 students joined the second class this September.

The school plans to add 100 students each year until the school has 400 students in grades 9-12.

When the inaugural students become juniors next year, they will begin doing internships at aviation-related businesses, Gilman noted.

Aviation High is temporarily located on the Duwamish campus of South Seattle Community College near Boeing Field. Aviation High students may take college level classes taught by the community college instructors.

Peter Anderson, president of Galvin Flying Service and chairman of the school's advisory board, said he is seeking a permanent school campus near Boeing Field.

He speculated that the crash might inspire an Aviation High student to design something in the future that makes flying even safer.

Reflecting on the crash, Anderson declared, "Sure, this was a tremendous tragedy, but the students' aspirations and the benefits are so great, they will exceed the tragedy."

Eric Mathison can be reached at hteditor@robinsonnews.com or 444-4873.