Vicki Van Meter.

Vicki Van Meter was a girl with dreams that were sky-high.

At an age when most girls were just starting middle school, she was drawing public acclaim with her legendary aerial feats, including being the youngest pilot to fly east to west across the continental United States.

Now those dreams are being honored with the dedication of a photograph and bronze plaque at the Port Meadville Airport in her native Crawford County.

She was an alumna of Edinboro University, from which she graduated with a degree in criminal justice. She matched her aerial honors with academic ones, graduating summa cum laude.

She had penned an autobiography by the age of 13, aptly titled "Taking Flight." She met with then-Vice President Al Gore and upon graduating from Edinboro, served two years in the Peace Corps in the Eastern European country of Moldova.

But in 2008, a life full of promise was cut short when she died suddenly after a long battle with depression. She was 26.

Her life was remembered with kind words from friends and family on Sept. 18 when a ceremony was held for the dedication of the photograph and plaque.

Edinboro criminal justice professor David Ferster, along with officials including Crawford County commissioner Morris Waid and Crawford County Regional Airport Authority president Jack Molke, spoke in her memory.

"Vicki was an excellent student," said Ferster.

Ferster had Van Meter in two of his classes during her tenure at Edinboro in the early 2000s. She graduated from the university in 2005.

He spoke to her once, upon her return to the States. Up until the time of her death, she had found a job in her field and was working as an investigator.

Her education was far from over, however. Van Meter had more big dreams to meet.

"She was thinking about law school," said Ferster.

The photo displayed was from the book by Carolyn Russo called "Women and Flight - Portraits of Contemporary Woman Pilots." Russo also is the chief photographer for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

A letter from the Smithsonian was also read at the event. The event, as Ferster recalled, was crowded to the facility's limits, with a crowd of about 60 people.

The plaque and photograph will be at the airport for future generations of aviation enthusiasts and perhaps a would-be aviator to draw inspiration from.

It's true that many of the milestones Vicki Van Meter set will never be broken, because following the death of young aspiring pilot Jessica Dubroff, it became illegal in the United States for a student aviator to attempt to set records.

They will stand as the testament of one amazing girl's larger-than-life triumphs.

In 2010, a documentary about her successes in the air will be released. The film's description pegs her as "the most remarkable female pilot in history."

Indeed, it's a title she lived up to.

OCTOBER 1, 2009