INDIANAPOLIS — A new ice cream store in Indianapolis is providing opportunities for teenagers on the hunt for their first summer job.
It's all thanks to a pilot who is using his passion to help young people soar.
Ryan Lynch is teaching young people how to run a business and also teaching them how to fly, whether it's in aviation or one day owning their own business.
On the north side of downtown Indianapolis, you'll find an aviation-themed ice cream shop. LiftOff Creamery is located at 111 E. 16th St.
Lynch currently employs 11 students at the shop.
He's looking to give teenagers their first job and teach them what it takes to one day keep their own business going.
"They come in and learn about customer service, then scheduling, about the bookkeeping, how the operation works and ordering product so you can serve customers," Lynch said.
Each flavor has some sort of tie to flying and stepping in the shop isn't only part of the experience he's offering.
He also teaches young people to fly an actual plane through his non-profit National Aviation Youth Resources, or NAYR, Ryan's name spelled backward.
Lynch opened the shop at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I look at this just like an airline pilot," Lynch said. "We take risks we have challenges sometimes."
He's still hiring and has spots left in his summer camp.
