A young woman in North Bergen is chasing her childhood dream from when she lived in Colombia.

Hellen Hurtado is soaring to new heights thanks to the New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (NJ STARS) and the aviation program at Bergen Community College.

“When I was 11 years old, my dad used to work at an airport back in Colombia and seeing the planes and the pilots, everything just inspired me to pursue a career in aviation,” Hurtado says.

Hurtado was the only student from Bergen Community College to be selected to go to the Women in Aviation International Conference. She was able to fly a plane herself thanks to the program.

“The people I've met, the opportunities, my professor, everything has helped me to come to this point in my career,” she says.

Hurtado spends most of her time in the flight simulator at Bergen Community College. School coordinators say they hope to give more opportunities to students like Hurtado.

"We have over 44% enrollment of Hispanics right now. We are focused on being a game-changer in the community,” says Julia Gibson, NJ STARS coordinator.

Hurtado says that she is not only proud of being Colombian but also of being a woman “trying to create a legacy and make an impact.”

“In five to 10 years I see myself as a first officer for one of the major airlines in the U.S.,” she says.

She says she has no doubt that her purpose is to keep flying high.

“Being able to fly the plane, that freedom, it felt great and felt like that's where I'm supposed to be in life - a pilot,” Hurtado says.