|
July 18, 2006 – Some are pilots, others aren’t. Some live in the Midwest. Others live on the East Coast or West Coast.
Yet one similarity binds them together. They are all volunteers in EAA’s Young Eagles program and they have gone that extra mile to introduce aviation to today’s youth. For their efforts, they will be recognized in a Theater in the Woods presentation on July 26, during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
Field Representative
When Ted Kirkpatrick, of Gwinn, Michigan got involved with the Young Eagles program he thought he’d fly a couple kids and that would be that. Was he wrong.
The program really hooks you,” he explained. “After you see the smiles on the children’s faces, you realize you will do a lot more.” And he has. Kirkpatrick is a longtime field representative and also president and chapter coordinator of EAA Chapter 850. Young Eagles Executive Director Steve Buss said Kirkpatrick was selected not only for his many years of service, but also for creating a chapter Air Academy to supplement the flight experience.
Kirkpatrick said they started the Air Academy about 18 months ago, after realizing the chapter didn’t do a good job tracking its Young Eagles to see how many were actually pursuing aviation as a hobby or possible career. “As we discussed the issues, we realized we were only showing them one aspect of aviation — actual flight,” he said. Their program didn’t go into things such as aircraft maintenance, avionics, air traffic control and other aspects.
So they created a one-day Air Academy, really a mini version of EAA’s Air Academy, calling on the expertise of their members. “Our members have a wealth of information … and they came out of the woodwork to help,” he said. “We work to put together an event where kids can see every little facet of aviation.”
The academy, held this year on June 10 at Sawyer International Airport in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, consisted of nine events — a Young Eagles flight, navigation class, control tower tour, avionics repair class, aircraft maintenance shop tour, ATC exercise using R/C models, aviation museum tour, F-106 fighter restoration hangar tour and a balsa glider competition.
Participation was limited to 20 children, allowing for one-on-one time with instructors, Kirkpatrick said. But there was also a second motivation for creating the one-day Air Academy, Kirkpatrick said “When we fly the kids, we receive Young Eagles credits that we have been turning back so deserving kids can go to the EAA Air Academy. But we thought there had to be youth in this area who would like to go.” The mini academy is a good way of finding those youth who are truly interested. Last year, they sponsored one child, and this year, two.
Kirkpatrick says his success in Young Eagles couldn’t have occurred without the help of his wife, Lynn. “She takes care of the registration, certificates and more. She has always supported me.”
Chapter Coordinator
Francis Uliano had just finished eating lunch at a restaurant when he went up to the counter to pay the bill.
“It’s already paid,” the cashier told him.
“What do you mean?” Uliano asked. “Who paid for it?”
The cashier pointed to a man that Uliano didn’t recognize. He walked up to the man, sitting with a boy, and asked why he paid for his lunch. “My son recognized you,” the man replied. “He knew that you were the pilot who flew him for his Young Eagles ride a few years ago.”
It’s things that like that keeps Uliano, of Middletown, Connecticut, involved in Young Eagles. “It’s seeing how happy the kids are and knowing you had an impact. Many have never had an experience like that, and it’s the best experience they had in their lives.”
Uliano has flown about 450 kids in the last 10 or 11 years. He knows of at least three that have gone on to become pilots. Buss said Uliano, another longtime volunteer, was nominated by Chapter 27 for his efforts to support and improve their Young Eagles program. “In addition, he works closely with the local FBO and Aviation Commission to use Young Eagles as a positive community relations effort.”
Uliano said Chapter 27 doesn’t believe in taking up four or six kids at a time. “I never thought that was what the whole program was about. The program, for me, is for the individual Young Eagle to go up for a ride with a pilot.”
So they started the one-on-one program and turned it into a true learning experience. “We spend 40 to 45 minutes with each child. Our numbers of Young Eagles flown may not be as high as some other chapters, but they are all quality numbers,” Uliano said of the nearly 1,200 youth flown by his chapter.
In 2004, the chapter mailed out over 1,000 invitations to Young Eagles to come back for a picnic, Uliano said. More than 100 showed up to reminisce about their flight and talk to the pilot who flew them.
To get more youth interested in the program, Uliano and friends created their own Young Eagles video that explains the program and shows what a Young Eagles flight would be like. The video is run on the local television channel to advertise flight rallies, as well as used when speaking before church, school and scouting groups.
“I love the program and I love what I’m doing so I’ll keep doing it,” he said. “I grew up during the War and anytime an airplane flew over, I’d run outside to look at it. But today most airports are fenced and you can’t get anywhere near an airplane. That’s why the Young Eagles program is important. It gets kids onto the fields.”
Ground Support Volunteers
Larry and Janice Dorgan, of Davenport, Iowa, see their job as being ambassadors for the Young Eagles program and aviation. They help the ones who suddenly decide they’re afraid to go up in a sport airplane, as well as those who can’t wait to get into the skies during flight rallies.
Nominated by EAA Chapter 75 for the award, Buss said the Dorgans have been a ground support team for the chapter since 1992, organizing the ground activities and paperwork. Janice basically handles the registration process, making sure parents and guardians fill out the correct forms, while Larry does much of the rest of the organizational work on the ground.
“I’ve been a member of the chapter since the 1960s,” Larry said, adding that he isn’t a pilot yet but is building a light sport airplane. He got involved in the Young Eagle program, however, because he likes to see the children’s smiles. “It’s seeing them happy, while introducing them to aviation that keep me involved,” he said.
The chapter likes to pair one child with each pilot, plus have adequate people on ground — working registration, creating certificates, calling out names and taking kids to the planes — to make flight rallies go smoothly.
“We’re really surprised and honored by the award,” Larry said, noting their success is a team effort.
Humanitarian Award
Some youth are flying across the world for a chance to get a ride in a small airplane. And members of EAA Chapter 670 are making sure the teenagers from Northern Ireland come away excited about that opportunity.
The Fort Worth, Texas chapter works with the Ulster Project and in five years has given about 160 teens from Northern Ireland a Young Eagles flight. “The kids have a good time,” said Dan Urbanski, Chapter 670 coordinator for two years. “They enjoy themselves very much.”
The Ulster Project is dedicated to promoting peace between Roman Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland by building tolerance, trust, and ongoing positive relationships among potential leaders from these Christian traditions. Under the sponsorship of the various U.S. city Ulster Projects, teens from their paired Northern Irish communities come to the United States to live in private homes for a month, meeting daily for activities, community service projects, worship and more.
Urbanski said Chapter 670 got involved after getting a call from the Arlington Ulster Project in 2001. They were looking for something for the teens to do while in the area.
This year, nine pilots from Chapters 670 and 34 flew 32 teenagers from Northern Ireland, as well as counselors and host parents. Everyone also went through a ground school, learning about how airplanes work, he said. “The kids really enjoy it. They said it made the whole trip worthwhile.”
Getting them up in airplanes is a process that actually begins six months before. “The applications are hand-carried to Northern Ireland to be signed by their parents,” he said. “The process starts early. Sometimes there is a reluctance to have kids fly in private airplanes. But the Ulster Project fills them in about the Young Eagles program, and the parents sign the application. It gives these teens an opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise have.”
Horizons Award
There’s a saying that if you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. Someone must have known that when they asked Larry and Maxine Durst, of Roseburg, Oregon, to help out with the EAA Chapter 495 Young Eagles program.
Between being the state scholarship chairman for the Elks, to helping promote literacy through the Altrusa Club and many things in between, the Dursts have found time — a lot of it, in fact — for Young Eagles.
Buss said Chapter 495 nominated the Dursts for their longtime dedication to the Young Eagles program. “They spend countless hours setting up flights, recruiting children and flying kids throughout the year,” he said. “They also organize airplane tours over Crater Lake National Park for German exchange students each year.”
Yet the reason they do it is simple. “You don’t know the satisfaction of Young Eagles until you experience it,” said Larry. He certainly should know that feeling of satisfaction then. Larry gives up many weekends to take youth in his 1956 Cessna 182. He has flown 1,751 Young Eagles to date. Maxine said she isn’t a pilot, but she is competitive. “Watching those numbers mount is one thing that gets to me, as well as working with the kids.” Larry said he plans to continue giving more flights, and that he doesn’t have a magical number in mind to stop. “As long as Maxine keeps recruiting, I’ll keep flying,” he said. “We are just very fortunate that we can afford to spend $200 a weekend flying.”
Maxine spends countless hours on the phone, recruiting and scheduling students. “I have it easy,” Larry said. “All I have to do is show up and fly.” Maxine recruits by contacting schools and individual teachers, asking them to send home fliers with students between the ages of 8 and 17. “Then when we are going to fly, I just start calling.”
Their payment comes in smiles and success stories. Like the little boy who gave Larry a hug and the girl who was so excited she couldn’t stop jumping up and down. Or the teenager who is now taking ground school lessons with her father.
The Dursts also organize airplane tours over Crater Lake National Park for German exchange students each year. Larry said they started flying the exchange students in 1994-95 when his daughter was involved. But they expanded it to the Crater Lake area about three years later when their son became involved.
While the children certainly benefit from the program, aviation does, too, Larry said. “The more adults on the side of sport aviation, the better off we’ll be.”
Phillips Leadership Award
Joel Godston has a passion to share his knowledge of aviation with youth. And the Young Eagles program allows him to share quite a bit.
The North Haverhill, New Hampshire resident dons many hats when it comes to the Young Eagles program and aviation. He’s been an active field representative since 1995 and a coordinator for Chapter 740. He mentors young people through the local school district, and still finds time to be an active member of the Ask the Experts panel for the Young Eagles Web site. He’s also involved in the annual Dean Airport Awareness Day, an event to showcase to the community the value of the local airport.
“Some people in the community were making big noises about getting rid of the airport because it was just for the rich and few,” he said. So he helped craft an airport master plan and started the annual awareness day that now includes Young Eagles flights and a chance to meet people who are involved in various aspects of aviation, including pilots, aircraft mechanics, flight attendants, a WASP pilot, and others.
But Godston, who retired from Pratt & Whitney in 1992, said the most rewarding thing he does for the Young Eagles program is meeting a youngster who is apprehensive about flying and easing his or her fears. “I relate to them that I’m fearful of heights, but that as soon as something is around me like a cockpit of a plane, that fear goes away,” he said. “I tell them they’ll be OK.”
More than being OK, they usually enjoy the flight and some even catch the flying bug. “I was walking into a middle school when a woman asked me if I remembered who she was,” Godston said. She told him, “My son has always wanted to become a pilot and it’s because of the flight you gave him.” The boy is now in the Air Force. Another Young Eagle has already earned his private and commercial pilot license and is working at Pratt & Whitney.
But Godston doesn’t take all the credit for those successes. “I probably had some influence, but the kids had to make the decision. However, those success stories do reinforce why I do this. And it doesn’t hurt that I love doing it, either.” Godston said he also enjoys working with the 65-75 volunteers, be it pilots or ground crew, who make flight rallies go smoothly. “I haven’t had one person not come back to volunteer after they’ve done it once. That says they’re doing it not for me, but for the youngsters.”
And Godston does it for the kids, as well, not to earn an award. “I’m really honored and humbled to receive the Leadership Award,” he said. “There are so many people who do a lot more than I do.”
|
|
Ted Kirkpatrick of Gwinn, Mich. - Field Representative
Francis Uliano of Middletown, Conn. – Chapter Coordinator
Larry and Janice Dorgan of Davenport, Iowa – Ground Support Volunteers
EAA Chapter 670, Fort Worth, TX, received the Humanitarian award fro their work with the Ulster Project.
Larry and Maxine Durst of Roseburg, Ore. – Horizons Award
Joel Godston of North Haverhill, N.H. – Phillips Leadership Award
|
Become a Volunteer | Volunteer Recognition | Program News | Resources | World's Largest Logbook
EMAIL
STORY
PRINTER
FRIENDLY
Privacy Policy 