SKY'S THE LIMIT
LIFE LESSONS
FROM
SCHOLARSHIP
RECIPIENTS
By Jennifer Reynolds | jensunshine3@gmail.com
TOWARD THE END OF 2021, the AMA Foundation sent out an email that highlighted some significant information. From the ninth National Model Aviation Day, held in August 2021, where more than 20 clubs registered for events, to exciting AMA grant programs, there was news galore.
Of particular interest for me was the scholarship recipients. It’s exciting to see young adults express an interest in aviation, which has generated optimistic feelings for me about the future of the hobby. Additionally, I was struck by their words of wisdom about flight and life—and how both comingle.
If you have a chance to watch the YouTube video that was sent out by the AMA Foundation, I strongly encourage you to take the time to do so (the link is in “Sources”). In it, AMA’s Foundation director, Kelsie Walker, and AMA’s Education director, Kyle Jaracz, spoke with the recipients via Zoom over the computer.
Go for It!
One of the recipients, Free Flight (FF) enthusiast Adelaide Machado Ulm, recalled how she won the first contest that she entered. If that’s not impressive enough, she did this (major drum roll please) at age 10! She’s been a member of the AMA for approximately 10 years and is now pursing her marketing degree from Catholic University of America in Virginia. Poised and clearly an aviation enthusiast, she’s a great example of someone who pursues her passion without hesitation.
Many of us hold back for fear of failure (or success) or fall victim to the “what will my parents/boss/spouse/neighbor think of me?” trap. Maybe we simply overthink something, getting us to the point of believing that too much time has lapsed to consider taking a next step, even if it’s one we swore we’d see ourselves through at some point.
Adelaide reminded me of what it’s like to enter the unknown, step into it bravely, and excel to boot. We’ve all been there, but how many of us have taken the plunge? We can choose to linger in our anxieties and withdraw from our passions and goals, or we can move forward through the mostly self-imposed challenges and do it! Will we have some scary takeoffs and landings? Undoubtedly. But at least we can’t say we didn’t try. And who knows? We just might achieve unexpected pleasantries in the process, as Adelaide has done.
Life Lessons
These students also shed light about how flight has helped them outside of the open sky. So much of their knowledge and experience with aviation has paralleled other aspects of their lives, or at least carried over into them to some extent.
In the YouTube video, scholarship recipient Ryan Wheless spoke about how model aviation has expanded his skills as a musician. Ryan’s a student at Berkely College of Music in Boston and enjoys Giant Scale racing. He spoke of flight’s improvisatory and technical components and said that they’ve helped him with his clarinet and saxophone playing. Who knew?
He said that his ability to shift gears while in flight—a race, in particular—has allowed him to set up stages more effectively and run sound for musical events.
The life lessons continue. Even when all of the arrows point in one direction, everything else you toss around suggests otherwise, like these paper airplanes. But then you have tons of smiles in life, thanks to model aviation enthusiasts such as Mike Costello, who have fun with their airplanes. (He’s flying with Snoopy, for crying out loud!)
Adelaide agreed that aviation can teach skills outside of a flying field or event. She’s learned about preparation and the ability—quite literally—to let go and see what unfolds. Because she’s involved in FF, she noted that there isn’t much she can do once her aircraft is in the air, so the emphasis to plan and prepare appropriately before launching is key.
She mentioned that her preparation, and all of the work that goes into it, ultimately leads to something much bigger, which I think lends itself to a pretty significant life lesson about carefully planning and thinking before jumping into something haphazardly, whether it’s aviation related or not.
Other recipients also shared their thoughts. Joseph Daly, who studies at the New York Institute of Technology, has been involved in the hobby for approximately 10 years. He hopes to become a physician. He spoke about how no two flights are ever the same, making flying an exciting adventure where you attempt to excel based on the skills learned.
Jacob Shutic, a freshman at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, said that RC flight was a large part of his decision to attend this school. His enthusiasm for flight even led to him start an AMA-chartered club while in high school.
Patience, Humor, and More
Flight has taught me much outside of the flying field. It’s taught me patience. Sometimes I can’t fly when I’d like to, but it eventually pans out. I’ve learned to go easier on myself. Sometimes I’ve put up some pretty embarrassing flights, but it’s not the end of the world. We’ve all been there. Just like at work, home, or in another hobby, things happen! As long as an “off” flight doesn’t get us down and we still show up and have fun, that, much like all aspects of life, is what counts. It’s showed me to embrace unexpected ups and downs when life doesn’t have much direction.
Much like how the wind abruptly changes direction, I find ways to maneuver through my words, thoughts, and actions, assessing, adapting, and moving onward and upward. I’ve learned to find even more humor in certain things, which is evident in my appreciation for unexpected flightline finds, such as offbeat airplane design details, silly pilot flying antics, and fun decals.
So, there you have it: Words of wisdom and life lessons from well-deserving AMA scholarship winners. What do you think of their stories, and what advice do you have for younger adults when it comes to flight and life in general? Send me an email! I always love to hear from you.
P.S. A quick peek at a nonflying-related excitement happening in my world: Everyone, meet 5-month-old Oakley!
SOURCES:
2021 AMA Scholarship Recipients
https://youtu.be/mQ4jBVLAUJU
AMA Foundation Scholarships
https://modelaircraft.secure-platform.com/a/page/scholarships
