Montessori graduate taking to the skies just like her father

MILWAUKEE - On this Father's Day, one Milwaukee Montessori graduate is giving thanks to the man that introduced her to competitive drone racing.

That's what makes Anya Reppa this week's FOX6 High School Hot Shot.

"He was a helicopter pilot," said Reppa. "So when he bought me a drone, I was like seven or eight, I remember thinking it was just the coolest thing in the world. It was kind of like I was being just like him."

After learning from her father, Reppa joined the drone program at her school.

She says it was really exciting to get her drone off the ground.

She believes the program can do a lot for kids.

"We're kind of looking for new ways to teach things to kids, new ways for kids to see the world," Reppa said. "Drones are definitely just an amazing way. We have learned things like physics, thinking about lift and gravity and how this works with your drone. We've of course learned programming. You're designing. You're 3-D printing. I remember this one time we started talking about derivatives and there were like fourth graders, fifth graders in the room."

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Reppa says she loves the feeling of having the controls at her fingertips.

"When you're flying a drone you've got these tiny little movements of your thumbs which are going between your drone making a smooth turn or flying directly into the ceiling and exploding," said Reppa.

This year, the program hosted Wisconsin's first ever drone competition at the Petit Ice Center.

Reppa also volunteers at the local food pantry.