"ACE" student Katie Smart, 15, of Milton, N.H., works with a Microsoft simulator to plan a simulated flight from Nashua to another area airport as part of this summer's "ACE Camp" aviation program at Daniel Webster College.

NASHUA -- While many of the nation's teenagers are enjoying their summer break from school, a select group from all over the country were taking advantage of an opportunity at Daniel Webster College that not many of their peers will ever experience: They were taking off, flying, and landing a Cessna 172 aircraft out of Boire Airport in Nashua. , Some 125 high school students participated in the 13th annual ACE Camp held at Daniel Webster College in Nashua last week.

ACE (Aviation Career Education) Camp is a national program that is overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration with local sponsors at each location. It is designed for high school students who are interested in pursuing a career in the aviation field. Daniel Webster College is the largest sponsor.

From the students' 6 a.m. wakeup call to the 10:45 p.m. "lights-out" in the campus dorms, "every minute of each day was packed with nonstop, exciting educational activities that exposed campers to all the career opportunities available in the aviation industry, including air traffic control, airport management and airline operations," said Daniel Webster College spokesperson Annette Kurman.

The week included sessions on leadership and teamwork, flight training classes, behind-the-scenes visits to area airports, guest lecturers and panel discussions with both commercial and military pilots.

It wasn't all work. Campers also went swimming, saw movies and played volleyball. The last day of camp featured an award ceremony and picnic for students and parents.

But flying the airplanes was, by far, the highlight of the week, according to the campers.

"At this camp you actually get to fly airplanes, which is awesome," said Ben Hawthorne, 17, of Newport, Maine, who had attended an ACE Camp in Bangor for the past three years. "At Bangor you just get to fly in them (as a passenger, not pilot the plane, itself)."

Hawthorne plans to apply to Daniel Webster and pursue a career in aviation.

The ACE Camp was sponsored by Daniel Webster College in cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (Division of Aeronautics), the New Hampshire Aviation & Space Education Council, and Eagle Flight of East Orange, N.J.

For more information about Daniel Webster College or ACE camp, visit www.dwc.edu , or call 603-577-6000.