Stay tuned in to our local news coverage: Listen to 90.7 WMFE on your FM or HD radio, the WMFE mobile app or your smart speaker — say “Alexa, play NPR” and you’ll be connected.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is offering free online classes to students as young as eight years old while schools are closed because of coronavirus.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is offering seven free, online math and science courses to high school juniors and seniors. 

President P. Barry Butler says students with at least a 2.75 GPA can take classes in fields like aviation, biology, and sociology for college credit. 

“Particularly in STEM areas. You know you really have to get started on those reasonably early, high school, junior high, to really build the foundation that you need.”

The college is also offering two online open-enrollment courses for anyone aged eight and older.

Embry-Riddle Expands Free, For-Credit Online Courses for Florida and Arizona High School Students: https://t.co/TjCspfY1Dt @azedschools @EducationFL #distancelearning #avgeek #collegecourses #onlinelearning #FLparents #FLteachers #AZteachers #AZparents pic.twitter.com/YDwNbHWkr9

— Embry-Riddle Univ (@EmbryRiddle) March 23, 2020

Butler says the “Aviation 101” and “Aviation for Your Future” classes are not graded and prerequisites aren’t required.

“So, you take that course and you say, “Hey, I really kind of like the meteorology, the weather side of aviation.” Then you’re going to want to get in there and take that course in meteorology or something like that.”

Registration for the classes starts today and runs through Friday. Contact Joseph Hoffman at the Dual-Enrollment Office for more information. His email is Hoffmj12@erau.edu. 

If you’d like to listen to the story, click on the clips above.