Special to the Enquirer  

Civil Air Patrol Cadet Jordan Heaps recently received the prestigious Amelia Earhart award of the Civil Air Patrol.  

Heaps, a “plank owner” of the General “Fighting Joe” Wheeler Squadron 134 in Hartselle has been with the squadron since it formed in early 2018.  Earning her way through all eight cadet enlisted and two cadet officer ranks, she has been promoted to cadet captain.  

The Earhart Award marks completion of Phase III of the CAP Cadet Program, recognizing sustained excellence in all four areas of cadet life: leadership, aerospace, fitness and character. Cadets earning the Earhart Award must have passed comprehensive examinations on leadership and aerospace topics.  

This achievement puts Heaps in the top 3 percent of all cadets in the nation.  

Heaps is a 2020 graduate of Hartselle High School and is enrolled in the Aviation Flight Technology Program at Wallace State, pursuing her lifelong dream of becoming an airline pilot.