Bridgeport News Stories
![From Bridgeport Middle School to the Italian Skies: A True Inspiration]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1771524018/bridgeportisdnet/ovtat1sheujnc74wdfei/HaleyBarton2.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1771524018/bridgeportisdnet/ovtat1sheujnc74wdfei/HaleyBarton2.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1771524018/bridgeportisdnet/ovtat1sheujnc74wdfei/HaleyBarton2.png","width":800}])
Since graduating from Bridgeport High School in 2020, 2nd Lt. Haley Barton has remained on an upward trajectory, turning her lifelong dreams into reality as she takes to the skies.
Following the completion of a pilot program for the U.S. Air Force last spring, ten American pilots—seven men and three women—were selected to attend the prestigious International Flight Training School (IFTS) in Sardinia, Italy.
After intensive training in Italian fighter jets, only four of the ten American pilots were chosen to continue their advanced training in Italy. These four elite aviators will transition to flying U.S. fighter jets for the Air Force upon their return to the United States in June.
Haley Barton was selected as one of the top four pilots to continue in the program—and is the only female among them.
We are immensely proud of Haley's steadfast dedication and unwavering focus in achieving her goals. Her journey is particularly inspiring: she mapped out this exact career path while in seventh grade at Bridgeport Middle School and has followed through with remarkable determination to see her dreams come to fruition.
This achievement stands as a testament to what can be accomplished through vision, perseverance, and excellence.
