Girls With Wings Aviation Scholarship Information

Here are some brief excerpts from the applications - to read the rest of it,
click on the picture.

Lisa: If chosen for a scholarship, I would gladly encourage
every female around to at least take a discovery flight. I want
to go forward with my flying ability. I hope to get into the
industry to become a Certified Flight Instructor myself. I want
to teach my children to fly and I would like to teach other
children to fly. I think flying is a wonderful dance between
your spirit and God! It can set you free from all your worries,
and make you feel free from every problem or anxiety.
Everyone needs a hobby. Why not make it flying?

Tanya: My heart's desire and need to achieve my goals are a driving
force to try and find that light to commit to training and change
careers.   I think that I am already a role-model for young girls as a
police officer. I undertook a challenge and still do everyday to be
what others told me I could not be. I am certain that I have made a
difference in people's lives in what I do. I am a role model as a
mother. I put my daughter before myself and never think that my job
as a mom will end. I hope to continue my role model position by
achieving my goals in aviation. I have taught my daughter that life is
a never-ending learning process. To never turn down a free
education, and that knowledge through learning is one thing no one
can ever take from you.   I want to continue to walk that talk in flight
lessons.

Cindy: I believe I would be a great mentor for Girls with Wings.
Without my high school and college cross country coaches, my flight
instructor, and a few others who were my mentors, I would not be
where I am today. I would like to have the same impact on female
students involved with Girls With Wings. I have been very goal-
oriented for much of my life and am not afraid to really go after goals.
Creating opportunities for my female students and talking to them
about their futures is something I have found very rewarding. I did
not have someone who shared opportunities that were available to
me as a female when I was younger. It has been a pleasure for me to
build relationships with them and it is exciting to me to think about all
the possibilities they have before them. I will close with this last,
powerful comment from one of my student’s evaluations as a result of
the airport fieldtrip:

“I thought that many math/science careers were a "male" thing. But that is
stereotypical, and woman can do just as well. Kathy and Theresa really proved
that…. It really taught us that anything we want to do, we can, if we want to be
pilots, we can, if we want to be the chief scientist at NASA, we can. The speakers
made clear points that were well said. They showed me that anything really is
possible. They were great role models for us women.”

I teach students to always do
their best,
So now it’s time to put myself
to the test.

My class has promised to
support my plight,
Until I have finally achieved my
solo flight.

What better way to learn this
skill,
Than to take young people
along for the learning thrill?

Natalie: As a teacher, I am often trying to think outside the
box and using creative strategies to get kids learning. When I
learn to fly a plane, I plan to use the lessons that I’m learning
to implement lessons in my classroom. As a woman interested
in a male dominant field, I hope to inspire students to do what
makes them happiest. Even if I don’t get a girl to pursue a
career in aviation, I hope to get girls excited about trying new
things and following their dreams.

Heather: I aspire to be a helicopter pilot. I am training for my
private pilot’s license. I am currently enrolled in ground school.
I just paid for my first flight hour about a week ago. I think I
would be a great role model to others because I am
dedicated, enthusiastic, energetic, and well-rounded. I have
been through so much in the past three years of my life. It
hasn’t been the best of years but it has made me stronger in
the end. I am hoping that you would like to join my support
group and if not, I would like you to post my story. I want
others to know that no matter how hard life can get you can
overcome and make the best of it. Also try hard and you will
be blessed.

Kristine: The clouds have been my source of inspiration for so
long, and a not a day goes by that I don't envision myself
soaring through them. I want to continue to experience the
joy of flight that so many women before me have experienced,
and add my name to the list of proud female pilots. I hope
that one day other girls will look up to me and I can share my
experiences with them. I would love to introduce others to the
thrill and challenge of flight, and help them through the
learning process. Having a role model is a valuable thing, but
having a mentor is invaluable.

Tara: Girls with wings, women with dreams. Nothing is more
empowering than taking control of an aircraft and soaring in the
vast blue sky. Especially being a young female in such a male
dominated realm. Being considered for the scholarship would be a
great honor, and if chosen, I would love to encourage other young
women that flight is possible. I went through ground school at the
local community college with only one other lady in my class. I don’t
ever see her at the airport, which I feel is a shame. I believe that I
could be a motivational role model, speaking to each new semester,
encouraging young girls to stick with it. My future plans include
higher ratings, with IFR a must. My mothers’ health is failing and I
hope to be able to fly her to her doctors appointments, which is a 4
hour drive away and very tough on her. When women have dreams,
anything is possible!

Carly: My love of flying led me to my current career of flight
attendant. Every time I speak with my pilots at work or on the
website, I am more and more intrigued to learn all I can about
airplanes, flying and becoming a commercial pilot. I love seeing
the reaction of passengers when one of my pilots is a female,
especially those of young girls who look up into the cockpit
with big, glowing eyes and ask "You're a pilot?!". Then before
getting all the way down the jetway, you can hear them telling
their mother they know what they want to do when they grow
up. Seeing that is one of the things that drives me to want to
be that role model for others. By becoming a female pilot, I
know I would not only make myself proud for making my
dreams come true, but also my family, friends and every little
girl who peers into the cockpit with curious eyes and a smile.

Tatiana: My uncle Robert is a pilot and saw this ad in his
magazine and when he showed me I wanted to write about
my first experience flying. I came to visit my aunt Cherie and
my uncle Robert in Austin, Texas, August 2007. I had never
really flown in an airplane before besides the big one to get to
see them. Since my uncle Robert was a pilot he took me for
my first plane ride. It was a Cessna. I have never loved
anything more than this. Uncle Robert let me sit up front and
my mom in the back then told me how to fly. He taught me
many things about flying and let experience it to. When my
uncle Robert showed me all the steps to fly I thought that was
so neat and could not wait to do it again. This was the best
day and I have never been happier with what I saw in the air.
Robert told me I was doing so well and said that I would make
a great pilot one day. He was very nice to show me and
because of it I want to be a commercial pilot when I grow up.
Before I was not sure what I wanted to be but now if anyone
asks I want to be a pilot.

Jennifer: My favorite thing about flying is doing aerobatics,
Loops, Spins and rolls. What motivates me to fly is trying to do
the hardest things to do and do them the best that I can, like
landing, landing a taildragger that weighs 3200 lbs and can’t
see anything out the front because you have 16 feet of nose in
front of you and you have to look out the side can be a bit
tricky. My inspirations are my family, I have one sister and two
brothers who love to fly, My father is a pilot and helps me
when I have a question or when I am learning something new,
My mother encourages me to keep on flying and never to give
it up. My future plans is to get on to an airline like Delta or to
do airshows and aerobatics I don’t know what the future holds
but what ever it has to do aviation is good for me...

Gabrielle: I am not really sure when my interests in aviation came
about. What I am sure about is my passion for it. It is a reoccurring
thought that runs through my mind every hour of the day. To me,
aviation is like water: I must have it every day to survive! I have
worked since I was 15, doing whatever I could in aviation to bring my
dreams closer. I was the young one who did all of the odd jobs around
the FBO and actually enjoyed them!

As a representative for Girls with Wings, I see myself as an inspiration
because I know what it is like to have to work for what you want in
life. It is difficult, and it can be discouraging, but the end result is that
much more rewarding. Knowing that you have reached a goal with
help from others and dedication on your part is so gratifying. I would
love to inspire another girl to start flying because it brings my life so
much peace and happiness.

Christina: I had always been home schooled and for my first educational
institutional experience, at 14 years old, I became a student at Florida
Atlantic University High School. One of the things that makes this so
unusual is that I jumped 100% into college my high school freshman
year. College is challenging and it was certainly different going from
being in a classroom with just myself to one with 300 other Chem
students, all 19 years old or older, and I was taking college chemistry
without having high school chemistry! This rigorous program is a
courageous endeavor. I mention this because I think it gives you an
indication of my willingness to take a risk and enthusiasm for
scholarship. When my friends talk about their goals, I advise all to go for
them, as you will never know what you can do if you don’t try.

When things get overwhelming, I sometimes escape into my dream of
flying beyond the horizon, of floating in zero gravity, of walking on
planets where the brave dare not go, of reaching that unreachable star.
My lofty imaginings of being an astronaut motivate me to persevere
through life’s challenges.

Brooke: As a child, I dreamt of changing the world. I found
strength and motivation through Amelia Earhart, the first
woman to pilot solo across the pacific ocean, Jacqueline
Cochrane, the first woman to break the sound barrier, and
Sally Ride, the first woman in space. I dream that I will leave an
extraordinary and inspirational story behind, just like these
women, to be admired and passed down for years and years
to come. I dream that, one day, girls will look up to me for
inspiration and motivation to pursue there dreams in aviation.
What are my goals for the future? I want to become an
Astronaut and create a better understanding of the world
beyond ours. How will I pursue that dream? My adventure will
start with learning to fly. I will wipe my fears away and I will
take control of my future. I will fly towards the skies and
towards my dreams of becoming an Astronaut. I am just a
country girl that lives in a one-light town that has great
dreams. I am going to prove to the world that dreams can
come true.

Trina: When I was first hired as a flight attendant in 2005 I
was required to sit in the flight deck on my final day of IOE as
part of my training. Although I had flown extensively as a
passenger, I had never been in the flight deck. When we
began taxiing from the gate, I felt the butterflies gathering in
my stomach and as we climbed I knew I would never be
completely satisfied working in the cabin.

Camila: I am originally from South America from a country
called Chile. My parents and I moved to the United States in
1997. Both of my parents are what inspire me to fulfill my
dreams. My motivations are many but one motivation I have is
my two younger sisters. They are little but understand
everything. I want to show them that their sister is going to
become something of herself one day. I want them to be proud
of me and proud of what I do. I live 2 blocks away from John F.
Kennedy International Airport (JFK). When I moved to the
United States the planes would pass right above my house
and I would say, “One day I will fly one of these planes and
travel around the world.” I have always wanted to become a
pilot.

Jackie: I have started working on my private pilot’s license
and can’t wait to complete it, which should be soon. One day
when I was doing my preflight, the father of a young girl came
over to tell me that his daughter had been watching my every
move and was surprised that a girl was flying. It was a special
moment when he thanked me for being a good role model for
his daughter. Being a role model for younger kids is not new to
me. While in high school, I did a lot of volunteer work with kids.
Helping other people without expecting anything in return is an
incredibly rewarding feeling.

Katelynn: My first introduction to aviation and one of my many
inspirations was a young eagles flight. My family and I met
Vern Mauk, the president of the local EAA CH 500 club during
The Wings of Freedom air show at the Massena New York
airport. Vern introduced us to Jim Parks, also a member. Jim
gladly gave most of my family and me a ride in his Cessna
170A. Even before we were given a ride, my dad was very
interested in flying. He read magazines and talked about
airplanes with us. I have ten brothers and sisters. I am the
oldest, seventeen years old and Amy is the youngest, four
months old. We decided the best way for all of us to get
involved in flying affordably would be to have one of us
become a flight instructor. I decided to take on the challenge.
At school I have been a teachers assistant for the last three
years for my technology teacher and enjoyed teaching people.
I like to learn and after my young eagles flight I realized
learning to fly was a challenge I did not want to pass up!

Becky: I am 17 years old and a Senior in High School. I really want to
become a commercial pilot. A lot of people have tried to discourage me
from this career path because becoming a pilot is very expensive.
However, I have a passion to fly that drives me onward and upward.
As a High School student, I am attending a flight school and plan to
graduate from High School with a pilot’s license and an AA degree in
aviation. Once you start flying, you get the ‘flying bug’ that you just
can’t shake. It comes from within and fuels this passion to fly. Flying
allows you to soar in more ways than one. It has enabled me to soar
above the daunting task of funding flight costs. It has enabled me to
soar above and beyond fear. There is a saying, “nothing ventured,
nothing gained”. You have to step out and follow your dreams
because there will always be those around who are eager to put a
damper on them. If you don’t follow your dreams, you will never know
what you could have accomplished in your life. I plan on following my
dreams to fly commercially.

Jessica: Even before my first ride in an airplane I knew that I
wanted to fly. Always looking at the stars and waiting for the time I
would be able to get there. This opportunity would get me one step
closer to my dream of becoming an astronaut. I have such a
yearning to know the things we have the least information about. I
have an open mind and heart and when I have such a goal in front
of me it is my duty as a woman to fulfill it for myself and other girls
who want to follow their dreams just as I do.I have a lot of support
from my family and friends and this motivates me to try my hardest
in everything I do. Without this boost of compassion and
encouragement I do not think I would have the same mindset as I
do. I also have great inspiration and people that I look up to. My
neighbor, Tom, is a member of the U.S. Air Force and has been for
over 30 years. He is also my mentor in the AOPA Project Pilot
program. It was with him that I had my first flight in an airplane. I
will never forget that experience and I am sure I will fly with him
again soon. I am further inspired by the men and women in the Air
Force serving our country and the women currently in NASA who are
truly paving the way for other women like myself who want to
succeed in aviation.

Andrea: I believe that I am a role model for Girls With Wings
because I am a typical girl trying to achieve a dream that I
deeply have passion for. I believe this program will help me to
accomplish these goals. My number one long-term goal is to
become an astronaut in the future. To get there I want to first
perfect being a pilot. I have had a great experience being
amongst skillful pilots and co-piloting for about 3 years now. I
would like to earn my private pilot’s license and I believe that
this program could bring me a step closer to that short-term
goal. The people that have motivated and inspired me to
accomplish my dream are: Ms. Debbie Huffman, Mae Jamison,
and of course my mother. Without these three people I don’t
believe that I would have the strength or courage to become
a female pilot.

Jonelle: My interests consist of aircraft, electrical and mechanical
programming, and other forms of technology. I have already
experienced my first solo flight and have ten hours of flight time. My
main motivation is my mother. She has always supported my decision
to pursue a career in aviation. My biggest motivation is anyone who
does not believe I can achieve my goal to become a pilot. I am inspired
by Bessie Coleman for her determination to reach her goal as a pilot. I
also admire Mae Jemison for her hard work and drive to become the
first African-American astronaut. Furthermore, I am mainly inspired by
any female pursuing a career in aviation, especially a pilot.

Hope: I believe that I can be a great role model for “Girls With
Wings” because I enjoy getting others interested in aviation,
whether it is helping out at Young Eagle Rallies or encouraging
my younger sisters to go with me to an air show. My “go-
getter” personality, discipline, and dedication will all be useful
when it comes time to try and get other girls interested in
aviation. I want them to know that if they set their mind to it,
anything is possible. Do not let anyone say that you are not
good enough to do something because chances are, you
possess the ability to excel far beyond even your own
expectations. Although I am just learning, I can already tell
that the end result is going to be much better than I ever
expected!
A man by the name of Barrington Irving once said, “We have
to step back and help kids find ways of achieving the things
we’re encouraging them to dream about.” I believe that the
“Girls With Wings” Scholarship is a perfect example of what
Irving is trying to say. This organization is able to provide
others with a great opportunity to further their education of
flight.

Jesse: My fascination with flight started as a little girl and I
haven't let go of it since. My father built remote control
airplanes and we would fly them together on the weekends
and we took a few sight seeing tours from the local airport.
Through the years our love of flying evolved and I'm proud to
say that my father Jim has been a private pilot for about 10
years now. I started taking lessons in my 20's but the cost
was too much at the time. Now I've devoted all my time and
finances into pursuing a career in aviation. I've tried to be a
role model for girls my whole life. As a gymnast in middle and
high school I competed and trained to show myself and others
what you can accomplish if you put your heart and soul into it.
Later I started training in martial arts and hold a senior black
belt. To this day I continue training in mixed martial arts and
weight lifting to stay in good mental and physical shape. I
have a strong passion for women empowerment and
volunteer my services with women's self defense seminars in
local churches and community centers.

Sarah: I knew I was destined to be a pilot at age eleven
when my older sister generously gave up her turn at the yoke
on our return trip to Birchwood from Talkeetna in the
southcentral region of Alaska. My grandpa, the pilot in
command of the Cessna 172, informed me as soon as we
rolled onto the runway “Push the throttle in full, and when the
speed hits sixty all you need is a little back pressure on the
yoke and she’ll fly; then climb to 2,500 feet and follow the
river.”

I am incredibly grateful that my grandpa took such an immense
interest in my desires to become a pilot. All of my initial
passion for flying I owe to him and hope I will some day
become an influence on young women interested in an
aviation career.

Elisabeth: In 2006, I found out that Bridge2Peace would
accept students for volunteer teaching positions for summer,
2007. I applied and soon after received an acceptance letter.
There are three airports near the school: one private, the Sri
Lanka Air Force, and the Colombo International Airport. I am
motivated to use the Girls With Wings Flight Training
Scholarship to prepare me to be refreshed in flying before I
leave for Sri Lanka. I will have over 100 students from ages 3
years old to 8 years old to learn about the dynamics of
aviation. I pray that I will be able to achieve a pilot’s license
before May 2008 and take at least one student for a flight.
This will not be possible without great funding, such as the
Girls With Wings Flight Training Scholarship.

Beth: I believe that I am a good role model for Girls with Wings
because I am willing to fight for my dreams. I am determined to
accomplish them. I have had people in the past tell me that my
dreams are too high; that there’s is no way that I will accomplish
them. I refuse to believe that and I encourage anyone who has a
dream, to fight for it and to work to achieve their goals. I believe that
I would make a good role model for these reasons and because I am
a hard working, caring and strong individual that won’t let words
bring me down. I would like you to consider me for the Girl With
Wings scholarship so that I can take that next step in achieving my
goal and so that I can be an encouragement to all those girls out
there who think that their dreams are too high. Every time I hear or
see an aircraft in the sky it gives me a feeling of pride and
excitement. As a fellow aviator I can only guess that you understand
the feeling that I am trying to describe to you.

Courtney: I have ALWAYS wanted to be an astronaut, I cannot
remember a moment in my life when I haven't wanted to be one. I
love the stars, space and flying. I hope that I am truly on my way. I
am 14 years old and this year I get to begin my flight training. I get to
fly! I am a good student, I have an A average in grades K-8. I play
sports, participate in the school play, and volunteer at our small
regional hospital 8 hours per week. I am also a mentor to two little
girls who are Pre-Kindergarten students in our school. I cannot wait
to tell them that I can fly! They will be so amazed. I am being raised
to always reach for the stars, and in my life that is literally what I am
reaching for. What an honor it would be to inspire other girls to reach
for the stars too! I really love helping others, I love science, I love
flying and I would love to be able to inspire other girls to fly too.

Oh yes, and it would be so awesome to fly with my 85 year old
grandmother who is also a pilot! I hope that you will consider me to
worthy of the Girls with Wings Scholarship.

Caitlyn: Though a pilot’s license has eluded me my entire life, I have
vowed to achieve the goal I set for myself over thirteen years ago.
Whatever it takes – ground school at night or between classes,
flying only on the weekends, or skimping to save money – I’m
prepared to go the extra mile. All I ask is for some help in the first
few yards. At this stage of transition from girl to woman, I hope to
be a role model and mentor to young girls. In my third year of
college, I am pleased to say that I have not dwelled on the fact that
our population in aviation is indeed miniscule, but instead
concentrated on the growing number of women in the industry.
Aviation may be a field dominated by men today, but women will
unquestionably capture it tomorrow. We can be just as proficient at
flying, if not more so, as men. All we ladies need is a friendly push in
the right direction and a little encouragement to break those molds.
With the help of Girls With Wings, I hope to be that friend doing the
pushing.

Sarah: I am currently sixteen and a junior at Chatham High
School. I’m working diligently towards soloing, and I have
around 35 hours of dual instruction. I plan on going to college
somewhere relatively close and majoring in political science. I
am also planning on getting my flight instructors rating,
instrument rating, and commercial rating before I graduate
high school. I would really like to be able to offer flight
instruction to people in college as a part-time job and extend
my love for aviation to others. I think I would be a great role
model for Girls With Wings because I love to help others,
especially young women, pursue their dream of becoming a
pilot. I believe that every girl should never feel that they
cannot fly simply because aviation is perceived as a “guy
thing”. I have talked to many girls who wanted to learn how
to fly but never followed through with it because they felt that
they would stand out too much, and after taking them to the
airport for a day they quickly changed their mind. If I was a
role model for GWW, I believe I could inspire girls to not be
afraid to follow their dreams and let nothing stand in their way.

Estrella: At the end of this summer I started flying in a Piper
Archer II and fell in love even more with flying. I found it
amazing that just 104 years ago, people could only dream of
flying, and I was living that dream. I also found it inspirational,
that just two years ago, a female Thunderbird pilot was
unheard of, until Nicole Malachowski filled in #3 Right Wing
position. Girls With Wings has inspired me to pursue my dream
of becoming a pilot, as I read the biographies of so many
accomplished women in aviation. It is very important to
encourage other females to break free from traditional roles
and to live up to their potential. I just received my Airframe
license this past summer and am currently in the 5th year
program in the JFK Annex to earn my Powerplant license. I am
also an intern in the JFK Air Traffic Control Tower to learn the
ropes of air traffic operation. As a student pilot, I am trying to
earn my private pilot’s license before I go to the Academy. I
am grateful to have been fortunate enough to work with
aircraft mechanics, pilots, and air traffic controllers. I know for
sure that the world of aviation is an interesting and fun place
to work.

Patty: I didn't really know I was going to learn to fly until I had
become a mother of three, some 20 years ago. I'd always
had a love of flight. Every time a plane would go over I would
say I'm going to learn to fly even if it takes me until I'm 80. It
just didn't seem within reach, but somehow someday I hoped
and prayed I would learn to fly. Recently I started flying
lessons, and hope to solo soon.
Then to continue on to eventually get my instrument rating,
It's also been a dream of mine to fly a glider. The sky is the
limit! I will pass on my love and passion to fly willingly to other
girls of all ages, as long as I breathe!!!It is my heartfelt desire
to encourage others to be the best they can be. To pursue
their dreams of being a woman pilot, and to be all that God
intends them to be in all areas of their lives.

Stephanie: Being a female in a nontraditional field, survival is
sometimes a daily challenge. It surprises me when I realize
that others are looking up to me, others want to be like I am,
and others are watching me. This first happened while
helping in the classroom of my eldest son a couple of years
ago, when I, the quiet helping hand, became the object of
unbreakable class attention. That day ignited dreams for
many of those children towards multiple career paths.

The benefits from being a role model to young people are
immeasurable. Seeing a young girl accomplish something she
did not believe she could is thrilling. Knowing she will be able
to encourage others is motivating. The need to spread this
joy has become a goal in my relationships, both with my
mentors and those young people I interact with through work,
the college, church and the elementary and middle schools my
children attend. I enjoy sharing the patience my grandfather
showed me to make a difference, to possibly pass on a life
inspiring moment with another.

Tara: Every time I see a plane fly over, I look up and try to find
it, and think someday that could be me flying that airplane.
From the first time I went to an air show when I was about 4
years old. I always wanted to fly a fighter jet. All of their
impressive maneuvers also inspired me to continue my dream
to one day become a pilot and to not stop until I have
accomplished my dream.

The source of my inspiration was from Air Cadets. I have been
in Air Cadets for 6 years. Over the years I have gained a lot of
ground school training and have even taught some ground
school to my younger cadets. I have always wanted to be a
pilot. There are not many female commercial pilots. I plan to
change that and become a commercial airline pilot. My training
commences September 2008 at college. The future holds more
hope for women pilots. Companies want more women to get
involved. I also want to become a pilot because I want my
family and everyone that I know to be proud of me. I have a
passion for flying.

Brenda: Many my age already achieved their goal of getting
their private pilots license, but I do not lower myself to them.
Some are just more fortunate than others. But some are
blessed more with ambition as well, and I believe I have been
blessed with this strength despite the many obstacles life
brought me and obstacle that I have yet to experience.
Aviation is the reason I now sit in front of this computer screen
and the reason why I came this far. Aviation is a continually
growing industry and it will continue to grow as I grow.
Women in aviation will grow, and the ratio between men and
women in aviation will someday balance out, women might
even outnumber men.
Someday my name will be in a pilot’s certificate, someday my
name will be on scholarship awards, and someday you will
remember my passion and ambition and share it with those
around you. Someday I will look down from my jet to those
who looked down on me and I will make another girl out there
look up to me. Someday.

Sarah: ...“Life moves along at a great pace and we are
constantly faced with situations where we must fall back on
our instinctive responses” (A.C. Ping) I believe that it is then
that we get to see our real self when there is no time to take
a moment and think about what the appropriate response
might have been. For me, I had to regain my confidence in
flying instantaneously; for fear that I would be too scared to
pursue something that I love, based on Joe’s fatal accident
that day. Even though it has been a little over three months
since I last saw Joe or heard any more of his life lessons, I
have slowly started back in pursuing my dream to fly
commercially. I want to be a role model for girls everywhere to
show them that even though some might feel like giving up
their dreams of flying because at times things seem to rough
to handle, I just remember that heartache fades and pain
subsides, and though your dreams may seem at times too
rough to handle, remember that they are also too precious of
a gift to waste.

Jessica: By learning to fly now, I think I am a great role model
for a lot of people out there, especially young girls. Learning
to fly a plane while most people my age can't even drive a car,
is an excellent accomplishment. It shows people that no
matter how old someone may be, or what gender they are,
they can do anything if their mind is set on doing it. All you
have to do is apply yourself and set your mind on whatever
you want to do, and you can achieve your dreams! That's
what I am doing and it has already got me this far. I'm so
excited just thinking about how great my first solo was, which
was last weekend. It makes me feel so good about myself and
how I can achieve anything! Most importantly, I want people
to know that they have the power to do anything. Nothing
can stop them. Like Ziglar said, "Obstacles are things we see
when we take our mind off our goals." The power lies in your
own hands. If you believe in your dreams you can achieve
anything!

Jaime: After completing flight training, I aspire to continue
working in the airline industry. Because of my language
background, I intend to work my way back up to a major
carrier so that I can fly internationally and continue to use my
language skills on the job. I plan to become more active in
Airline Ambassadors and to organize trips to countries in need
of aid. Additionally, I would like to learn aerobatics. I would be
a great role model to girls and young women aspiring to enter
the field of aviation for two reasons: 1) I intend to work my
way through school on a flight attendant salary; and, more
importantly, 2) I will motivate them to combine a passion for
flying with making a difference while away on trips.

Mikaela: Everyday, I work to improve the lives of people
around me. I try to lead by example whether I am tutoring my
friends in math class or giving them advice about the
importance of going through with their dreams. My motivation
is the fact that flying brings me great joy that begins the
moment the wheels leave the ground. This gives me the
feeling that I can conquer any obstacle. I want my friends to
be able to experience this amazing feeling as well, so I tell my
friends how much I love flying and how much they would like it
too if they would only try it. The young girls in the
neighborhood ask me daily if I have soloed yet. Their eyes
light up as they ask me if I was in that plane they saw today.
I tell them about the ‘roller coasters’ (zero gravity maneuver)
we did, and how much fun I had flying the Cessna with my
instructor. Someday I hope they will follow my example and
experience for themselves the gift of flight.