America was built on the hard work of skilled laborers and technicians over many generations. Their legacy, of resilience and specialized knowledge, is the backbone of American infrastructure, yet it is threatened by a generational deficit of new workers to replace an aging blue-collar workforce. The skills that have propelled America into a technological superpower are dying without a generation prepared to inherit their legacy. This reality has weighed upon my mind for a long time, and I desire to honor that legacy by becoming one of those technicians myself. The field of aircraft maintenance has felt the replacement workforce deficit harder than most. There is a huge need for skilled workers with any eye for detail and precision, and I feel that I am up to the task. Both of my parents served in the USAF, and I as I am about to start my second and final year of the program, I can't help but find it almost poetic that I am going into an adjacent field. Air travel has become an essential component of American commerce, yet I see reports of severe aircraft accidents almost weekly. Many of those accidents could have been prevented by a more skilled or detail-oriented technician. The heavy weight of holding people's lives in my hands is not lost on me, and I approach this field very solemnly and carefully. I am fully aware of the ramifications should I fail at performing my duties properly, and I am deeply committed to maintaining the highest standards of professional achievement. I am among the top of my class and am motivated to pursue excellence. I have extensive machine shop experience, and I love the feeling. The heavy equipment, the tools, and the complex technical knowledge required excite me greatly. I have a pretty heavy financial need for my college expenses currently. This scholarship would allow me to pursue my goal of honoring the American worker's legacy, while also working in a field I find extremely stimulating and fulfilling. Thank you for your time.

America was built on the hard work of skilled laborers and technicians over many generations. Their legacy, of resilience and specialized knowledge, is the backbone of American infrastructure, yet it is threatened by a generational deficit of new workers to replace an aging blue-collar workforce. The skills that have propelled America into a technological superpower are dying without a generation prepared to inherit their legacy. This reality has weighed upon my mind for a long time, and I desire to honor that legacy by becoming one of those technicians myself. The field of aircraft maintenance has felt the replacement workforce deficit harder than most. There is a huge need for skilled workers with any eye for detail and precision, and I feel that I am up to the task. Both of my parents served in the USAF, and it is almost poetic that I am going into an adjacent field. Air travel has become an essential component of American commerce, yet I see reports of severe aircraft accidents almost weekly. Many of those accidents could have been prevented by a more skilled or detail-oriented technician. The heavy weight of holding people's lives in my hands is not lost on me, and I approach this field very solemnly and carefully. I am fully aware of the ramifications should I fail at performing my duties properly, and I am deeply committed to maintaining the highest standards of professional achievement. I am among the top of my class and am motivated to pursue excellence. I have extensive machine shop experience, and I love the feeling. The heavy equipment, the tools, and the complex technical knowledge required excite me greatly. This scholarship would allow me to pursue my goal of honoring the American worker's legacy, while also working in a field I find extremely stimulating and fulfilling. Below is a list of my volunteer experience, activities, and character references. Thank you for your time. I am currently involved in several activities, both curricular and extracurricular. I do extensive volunteer work with my campus church group, including playing piano weekly and helping to lead a community group of peers in a Bible study. I also pick up litter in my spare time on the streets of Pocatello in an effort to keep the community and campus clean and presentable. I also work as a ranch hand on Elbow Canyon Ranch (Mackay, ID), which has given me a newfound appreciation for blue collar jobs and workers. I have done extensive volunteer and extracurricular work in the past as well, such as: Moving a single mother and her household belongings from one house to another in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2024. Featured on KTVB 7's Heroes in December of 2018 for volunteer piano playing at the Meridian Hospital every week. Volunteered on the worship team (piano) at every church I've attended since 2015. Volunteered playing the piano at various nursing homes at Christmas time. (2015-present) I was the 6x district champion on my Junior Bible Quiz team at Legacy Life Church (2016-2019). Done volunteer fence building at ranch in Mountain Home Idaho. (2024) Volunteered doing various jobs for the Operation Christmas Child fundraisers at my local church. (2020-2021) Character References: Nathan Pierson: 208-954-9570 Jesse Cecil: 208-760-1952 Aaron Wicker: 580-257-9407 Matthew Weaver: 801-497-6749 Tyler Sprague: 208-220-4209

America was built on the hard work of skilled laborers and technicians over many generations. Their legacy, of resilience and specialized knowledge, is the backbone of American infrastructure, yet it is threatened by a generational deficit of new workers to replace an aging blue-collar workforce. The skills that have propelled America into a technological superpower are dying without a generation prepared to inherit their legacy. This reality has weighed upon my mind for a long time, and I desire to honor that legacy by becoming one of those technicians myself, in the field of aircraft maintenance. I firmly believe that God has placed me in this program, not just to work on airplanes, but also to be a light and a witness to my classmates. There was a number of seemingly impossible obstacles in the way of me joining this program. I was one of the last applicants to sign up, and even then, I was on a sizeable waiting list. By the grace of God, there was an abnormally large number of people who dropped out at the last minute, and I was accepted into the A&P program. There were also several times when money was extremely tight, and I thought I'd have to take out a large loan or drop out temporarily. Again, through the power of prayer, God provided for me in a way I only thought happened in fictional stories. I believe that he has me here for a reason, and I think it'd be awesome if you, the scholarship board, allowed this scholarship to be a part of that. Additionally, the field of aircraft maintenance has felt the replacement workforce deficit harder than most. There is a huge need for skilled workers with any eye for detail and precision, and I feel that I am up to the task by God's grace. Both of my parents served in the US Air Force, and it is almost poetic that I am going into an adjacent field. Air travel has become an essential component of American commerce, yet I see reports of severe aircraft accidents almost weekly. Many of those accidents could have been prevented by a more skilled or detail-oriented technician. The heavy weight of holding people's lives in my hands is not lost on me, and I approach this field very solemnly and carefully. I am fully aware of the ramifications should I fail at performing my duties properly, and I am deeply committed to maintaining the highest standards of professional achievement, with all glory going to God for any successes He allows me to have. I am among the top of my class and am motivated to pursue excellence out of a desire to do all things as unto the Lord and thus shine a light to those around me. I have extensive machine shop experience, and I love the feeling. The heavy equipment, the tools, and the complex technical knowledge required excite me greatly. This scholarship would allow me to pursue my goal of honoring the American worker's legacy, glorify God, and work in a field I find extremely stimulating and fulfilling. Thank you for your time.

America was built on the hard work of skilled laborers and technicians over many generations. Their legacy, of resilience and specialized knowledge, is the backbone of American infrastructure, yet it is threatened by a generational deficit of new workers to replace an aging blue-collar workforce. The skills that have propelled America into a technological superpower are dying without a generation prepared to inherit their legacy. This reality has weighed upon my mind for a long time, and I desire to honor that legacy by becoming one of those technicians myself. The field of aircraft maintenance has felt the replacement workforce deficit harder than most. There is a huge need for skilled workers with any eye for detail and precision, and I feel that I am up to the task. Both of my parents served in the USAF, and it is almost poetic that I am going into an adjacent field. Air travel has become an essential component of American commerce, yet I see reports of severe aircraft accidents almost weekly. Many of those accidents could have been prevented by a more skilled or detail-oriented technician. The heavy weight of holding people's lives in my hands is not lost on me, and I approach this field very solemnly and carefully. I am fully aware of the ramifications should I fail at performing my duties properly, and I am deeply committed to maintaining the highest standards of professional achievement. I am among the top of my class and am motivated to pursue excellence. I have extensive machine shop experience, and I love the feeling. The heavy equipment, the tools, and the complex technical knowledge required excite me greatly. This scholarship would allow me to pursue my goal of honoring the American worker's legacy, while also working in a field I find extremely stimulating and fulfilling. After my graduation and subsequent certification, I plan to marry my beautiful girlfriend and look for job somewhere in my home state of Idaho. There are several job openings for A&Ps in Sandpoint, Boise, Idaho Falls, and Coeur D'Alene, all of which have very attractive benefits and hourly rates. Below is a list of my volunteer experience and activities. Thank you for your time. I am currently involved in several activities, both curricular and extracurricular. I do extensive volunteer work with my campus church group, including playing piano weekly and helping to lead a community group of peers in a Bible study. I also pick up litter in my spare time on the streets of Pocatello in an effort to keep the community and campus clean and presentable. I also work as a ranch hand on Elbow Canyon Ranch (Mackay, ID), which has given me a newfound appreciation for blue collar jobs and workers. I have done extensive volunteer and extracurricular work in the past as well, such as: Moving a single mother and her household belongings from one house to another in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2024. Featured on KTVB 7's Heroes in December of 2018 for volunteer piano playing at the Meridian Hospital every week. Volunteered on the worship team (piano) at every church I've attended since 2015. Volunteered playing the piano at various nursing homes at Christmas time. (2015-present) I was the 6x district champion on my Junior Bible Quiz team at Legacy Life Church (2016-2019). Done volunteer fence building at ranch in Mountain Home Idaho. (2024) Volunteered doing various jobs for the Operation Christmas Child fundraisers at my local church. (2020-2021)

A year ago, I was in a very different place. I had been dealing with seasonal depression for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t have a name for it when I was younger. I just knew that when the days got shorter and the light disappeared too early, something inside me would quietly shut down too. It felt like I was disappearing along with the sunlight. For years, those winter months brought thoughts that scared me. They weren’t constant, but they were persistent enough to make everyday life feel heavy and distant. I struggled to explain it to anyone, so I mostly didn’t. I smiled when I was supposed to and kept going because that’s what people expect you to do. A year ago was the hardest point. I had also been dealing with self-harm as a way of coping with emotions I didn’t understand or know how to express. It wasn’t about wanting attention—it was about trying to feel something other than numbness or overwhelm. Looking back, I can see I was trying to communicate pain when I didn’t have the words for it. What started to change things wasn’t one big moment, but a series of small ones. Reaching out. Talking to someone I trusted. I eventually took counseling last April and May, which was the best step I could have taken at that time. Learning that seasonal depression is real and treatable helped me stop blaming myself. I still struggle in winter, but it no longer is what defines me. Now, when the light fades earlier each day, I prepare differently. I don’t expect myself to just “push through” anymore. I make space for what I feel, and I remind myself that seasons change—even the internal ones.

Both of my parents met each other and served in the United States Air Force. Public interaction was difficult, however, because my dad was an officer and my mom was enlisted. The stigma around that was something that was very difficult for them to work around, but nevertheless, they continued pursuing each other whilst serving in the greatest military our planet has ever seen. My mom was a mental health technician, and my dad was a civil engineer, and this hands-on perspective gave them an invaluable outlook on the way our country was built: America was built on the hard work of skilled laborers and technicians over many generations. Their legacy, of resilience and specialized knowledge, is the backbone of American infrastructure, yet it is threatened by a generational deficit of new workers to replace an aging blue-collar workforce. The skills that have propelled America into a technological superpower are dying without a generation prepared to inherit their legacy. This reality has weighed upon my mind for a long time, and I desire to honor that legacy by becoming one of those technicians myself. The field of aircraft maintenance has felt the replacement workforce deficit harder than most. There is a huge need for skilled workers with any eye for detail and precision, and I feel that I am up to the task. Air travel has become an essential component of American commerce, yet I see reports of severe aircraft accidents almost weekly. Many of those accidents could have been prevented by a more skilled or detail-oriented technician. The heavy weight of holding people's lives in my hands is not lost on me, and I approach this field very solemnly and carefully. I am fully aware of the ramifications should I fail at performing my duties properly, and I am deeply committed to maintaining the highest standards of professional achievement. I am among the top of my class and am motivated to pursue excellence. I have extensive machine shop experience, and I love the feeling. The heavy equipment, the tools, and the complex technical knowledge required excite me greatly. This scholarship would allow me to pursue my goal of honoring the American worker's legacy, while also working in a field I find extremely stimulating and fulfilling. Below is a list of my activities and volunteer experience. Thank you for your time. I'm currently involved in several activities, both curricular and extracurricular. I do extensive volunteer work with my campus church group, including playing piano weekly and helping to lead a community group of peers in a Bible study. I also pick up litter in my spare time on the streets of Pocatello in an effort to keep the community and campus clean and presentable. I work as a ranch hand on Elbow Canyon Ranch (Mackay, ID), which has given me a newfound appreciation for blue collar jobs and workers. I've done extensive volunteer and extracurricular work in the past as well, such as: Moving a single mother and her household belongings from one house to another in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2024. Featured on KTVB 7's Heroes in December of 2018 for volunteer piano playing at the Meridian Hospital every week. Volunteered on the worship team (piano) at every church I've attended since 2015. Volunteered playing the piano at various nursing homes at Christmas time. (2015-present) I was the 6x district champion on my Junior Bible Quiz team at Legacy Life Church (2016-2019). Done volunteer fence building at ranch in Mountain Home Idaho. (2024) Volunteered doing various jobs for the Operation Christmas Child fundraisers at my local church. (2020-2021)

America was built on the hard work of skilled laborers and technicians over many generations. Their legacy, of resilience and specialized knowledge, is the backbone of American infrastructure, yet it is threatened by a generational deficit of new workers to replace an aging blue-collar workforce. The skills that have propelled America into a technological superpower are dying without a generation prepared to inherit their legacy. This reality has weighed upon my mind for a long time, and I desire to honor that legacy by becoming one of those technicians myself. The field of aircraft maintenance has felt the replacement workforce deficit harder than most. There is a huge need for skilled workers with any eye for detail and precision, and I feel that I am up to the task. Both of my parents served in the USAF, and it is almost poetic that I am going into an adjacent field. Air travel has become an essential component of American commerce, yet I see reports of severe aircraft accidents almost weekly. Many of those accidents could have been prevented by a more skilled or detail-oriented technician. The heavy weight of holding people's lives in my hands is not lost on me, and I approach this field very solemnly and carefully. I am fully aware of the ramifications should I fail at performing my duties properly, and I am deeply committed to maintaining the highest standards of professional achievement. I am among the top of my class and am motivated to pursue excellence. I have extensive machine shop experience, and I love the feeling. The heavy equipment, the tools, and the complex technical knowledge required excite me greatly. This scholarship would allow me to pursue my goal of honoring the American worker's legacy, while also working in a field I find extremely stimulating and fulfilling. Below is a list of my activities, volunteer experience, and character references. Thank you for your time. I am currently involved in several activities, both curricular and extracurricular. I do extensive volunteer work with my campus church group, including playing piano weekly and helping to lead a community group of peers in a Bible study. I also pick up litter in my spare time on the streets of Pocatello in an effort to keep the community and campus clean and presentable. I also work as a ranch hand on Elbow Canyon Ranch (Mackay, ID), which has given me a newfound appreciation for blue collar jobs and workers. I have done extensive volunteer and extracurricular work in the past as well, such as: Moving a single mother and her household belongings from one house to another in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2024. Featured on KTVB 7's Heroes in December of 2018 for volunteer piano playing at the Meridian Hospital every week. Volunteered on the worship team (piano) at every church I've attended since 2015. Volunteered playing the piano at various nursing homes at Christmas time. (2015-present) I was the 6x district champion on my Junior Bible Quiz team at Legacy Life Church (2016-2019). Done volunteer fence building at ranch in Mountain Home Idaho. (2024) Volunteered doing various jobs for the Operation Christmas Child fundraisers at my local church. (2020-2021) Character references: Nathan Pierson: 208-954-9570 Jesse Cecil: 208-760-1952 Aaron Wicker: 580-257-9407 Matthew Weaver: 801-497-6749 Tyler Sprague: 208-220-4209

America was built on the hard work of skilled laborers and technicians over many generations. Their legacy, of resilience and specialized knowledge, is the backbone of American infrastructure, yet it is threatened by a generational deficit of new workers to replace an aging blue-collar workforce. The skills that have propelled America into a technological superpower are dying without a generation prepared to inherit their legacy. This reality has weighed upon my mind for a long time, and I desire to honor that legacy by becoming one of those technicians myself. The field of aircraft maintenance has felt the replacement workforce deficit harder than most. There is a huge need for skilled workers with any eye for detail and precision, and I feel that I am up to the task. Both of my parents served in the USAF, and it is almost poetic that I am going into an adjacent field. Air travel has become an essential component of American commerce, yet I see reports of severe aircraft accidents almost weekly. Many of those accidents could have been prevented by a more skilled or detail-oriented technician. The heavy weight of holding people's lives in my hands is not lost on me, and I approach this field very solemnly and carefully. I am fully aware of the ramifications should I fail at performing my duties properly, and I am deeply committed to maintaining the highest standards of professional achievement. I am among the top of my class and am motivated to pursue excellence. I have researched various airlines and private companies for employment, and I've decided I'll work for either Duncan Airlines or Horizon. I have extensive machine shop experience, and I love the feeling. The heavy equipment, the tools, and the complex technical knowledge required excite me greatly. One of my favorite tasks at the shop I worked as was when I had to forklift skid steers and cornhead harvesters around the shop grounds. Driving several tons of metal machinery around is one of the most exhilarating things in the world to me. My favorite project I did at the shop was when I rebuilt a kernel processor that had been nearly totaled by rust and bent teeth. Something about restoring a piece of defunct equipment back to working order is deeply satisfying. This scholarship would allow me to pursue my goal of honoring the American worker's legacy, while also working in a field I find extremely stimulating and fulfilling. Below is a list of my activities and past volunteer experience, as well as some adults that would speak highly of me. Thank you for your time. I am currently involved in several activities, both curricular and extracurricular. I do extensive volunteer work with my campus church group, including playing piano weekly and helping to lead a community group of peers in a Bible study. I also pick up litter in my spare time on the streets of Pocatello in an effort to keep the community and campus clean and presentable. I also work as a ranch hand on Elbow Canyon Ranch (Mackay, ID), which has given me a newfound appreciation for blue collar jobs and workers. I have done extensive volunteer and extracurricular work in the past as well, such as: Moving a single mother and her household belongings from one house to another in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2024. Featured on KTVB 7's Heroes in December of 2018 for volunteer piano playing at the Meridian Hospital every week. Volunteered on the worship team (piano) at every church I've attended since 2015. Volunteered playing the piano at various nursing homes at Christmas time. (2015-present) I was the 6x district champion on my Junior Bible Quiz team at Legacy Life Church (2016-2019). Done volunteer fence building at ranch in Mountain Home Idaho. (2024) Volunteered doing various jobs for the Operation Christmas Child fundraisers at my local church. (2020-2021) References: Nathan Pierson: 208-954-9570 Jesse Cecil: 208-760-1952 Aaron Wicker: 580-257-9407 Matthew Weaver: 801-497-6749 Tyler Sprague: 208-220-4209