Flying high above the earth, my dream version of my future self is a commercial airline pilot with a college degree in aeronautics and the goal of giving back to my community by mentoring and inspiring young at-risk youths to pursue a career in aviation as my mentors have done for me.

This past year, I made the decision to pursue a career as a commercial airline pilot. Considering all the actions that led to this decision, I can say with certainty that I am most grateful for the mentors that I have had to guide me and my volunteer experiences that have influenced my path. Without these mentors and volunteer activities, I would be lost, indecisive and concerned about my future. I met my mentor, Bill Morino, last summer. I unexpectedly discovered Bill, while talking to my neighbor, Doug, about my interests in aviation. Doug introduced me to his father, Jim, and his uncle, Bill. Jim and Bill had flown commercial jets all their lives and were now both retired. During our first interaction, I got to fly with Bill in his Cessna and asked for advice. In the following months, I would talk to both Bill and Jim, while looking into colleges like Embry Riddle and local flight schools. I toured several of these schools with Bill gaining his unbiased opinions in order to make secure decisions. With Bill, I came to understand and develop my passion to fly. Something I always had, but was unsure about the best way to pursue. Prior to meeting my mentor, I was focused on a career in the engineering side of aviation and aerospace. I earned an internship opportunity with Boeing, where I was able to simulate and learn how Boeing constructs satellites. At the time, I knew I wanted to do something within the field of aerospace or aviation, but I was unsure which path to choose. A month after the internship, I went on a discovery flight at my local regional airport and was finally able to get a taste of both the engineering side and the piloting side. Landing on the ground after the flight, I was sold and knew with certainty that I would love building a career out of being a pilot. Finally realizing what I wanted to do, thrust me into a cloudy mess with nothing to guide me. This is where Bill made all the difference. He was able to shed light on the process of becoming a pilot and act as my gateway into the aviation industry. This is also where I relied on my community service roles as a referee for youth soccer and as a guide at the Aquarium of the Pacific to help shape my destiny. Being a referee required me to make quick and fair decisions. Working at the aquarium honed my public speaking skills as I spoke to guests about each exhibit. I am grateful for the opportunities and experience I have gained through mentors, internships and volunteering. The people and resources I met along the way highlighted the importance of having someone to look to for advice and knowledge. This is a cycle I plan to repeat by becoming a mentor to others like me. Others, who seek similar careers, but lack someone with enough knowledge of the aviation industry to guide them. I will be the mentor Bill was for me and support people to make secure decisions based on their personal experiences and goals. I am sorry for your loss. Thank you for considering me as a recipient of the Kyle Rairdan Memorial Aviation Scholarship. It would be an honor to carry Kyle’s memory with me into my future as a pilot.

For as long as I can remember, aeronautics and aerospace have held some great significance in my life. They would play key interests in the career I have now chosen. This path requires me to obtain my certifications in 2024 in order to make a career as a commercial airline pilot. After I graduate high school this year, I will attend an academy pilot program at my local airport. Then, I will attend college to pursue a degree in a science or aerospace major. Inspiration to complete my goals has come to me from different resources and places. Throughout my life, I have learned that inspiration does not come by simply willing it. There must be opportunity and interest. My junior year of high school offered me both. When my junior year came, my school was presented with an internship in Boeing's satellite industry. Applying for it was a must as it targeted multiple aspects of what I wanted to do in my future. For the majority of my life that meant becoming an engineer with a background in aerospace or aeronautics. When applications were turned in, I became one of three people in my class to be accepted into the internship. After several weeks, I started to understand the complex design processes that put satellites in orbit. The mechanical design process along with the electrical and computer science processes displayed how a real job within the aerospace field works. While learning about satellites was interesting, the aerospace internship shed new light on what I once thought I wanted to do with my life. It was this new light and realization that caused me to explore a career I was always interested in, but unsure about how to commit. For me, this meant I had much to learn about the aviation industry and becoming a pilot. Becoming a pilot had always intrigued me, but it never felt like a viable option as a career. However, following the aerospace internship, I was inspired to discover this potential career and took a discovery flight out of my local airport. After the plane landed, my first thought was wondering when I could go back up. I began to research career pathways for pilots and reached out to friends and family in the business for inspiration and direction. Not long after, I met Bill, my neighbor's uncle, who took me up on my second flight. Bill has played a major role in offering advice and touring flight schools. By connecting me with colleagues of his flying for airlines, I was able to gain feedback from multiple veterans in the business. Other inspirations came from my high school college counselor, joining AOPA, and going to air shows and aeronautical museums. Each encounter with aviation drew me closer, cementing my decision to pursue the career of a pilot. What separates me most from the rest is my drive and dedication to aviation and to becoming a pilot. My will to follow through comes from a sense of purpose that I fail to find in any other interest or potential career. The challenges that brought on this realization have made me grateful for the opportunities and experience I have gained through internships and education. The people and resources I met along the way highlighted the importance of having someone to look to for advice and knowledge. This is a cycle I hope to repeat by becoming a mentor to others like me. Others, who seek similar careers, and need someone with enough knowledge of the aviation industry to guide them.