I don’t think anyone can really put into words what a crazy year it has been for everyone during this unique time. As most in the country, what I considered my daily norm has changed quite a bit. I have recently taken a break from school to try and get myself into a steady routine. With this break I have found myself transitioning my life down south to Tampa, FL where I am going to get a job and try and figure out what my next step is going to be. Although a big move and life change like this can be nerve-racking, I find myself more excited than anything else. There are so many questions I still need the answers to as far as my distant future and what I want to do moving forward but for now I’m happy navigating the world on my own and the adventures that will come with that. I hope to soon get back into the aviation world, this time as a hopefully soon-to-be pilot. My love for the aviation world will always be with me through everything, even if I step aside from it for now it will always be with me in my heart. Something that has also been with me through these crazy times has been the support from the wonderful folks of MVYouth and for that I continue to be and will always be forever grateful. Having this support during this past year or so has been life changing. Even in the most difficult of times knowing there are people out there supporting whatever I choose to do makes everything that was once difficult seem much easier. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you all for the support as I navigate the next stage of my life.
Max Smith - Cape Cod Community College
This past semester went quite differently than anyone could have imagined. What started off last spring as a normal return to classes, day to day life as a student continued just as normal as before. Everyday was spent with my fellow classmates learning everything we could about aviation mechanics, everything from learning to draw part diagrams to creating those exact parts in the sheet metal shop. What we all expected to be a fun and relaxing spring break eventually ended up being a lengthy hiatus from the shop and a new world of online learning. A unique but challenging way of learning for myself and many others. As a trade school student studying to be a technician you could probably understand the difficulty of learning such over Zoom! But through perseverance and maybe a little bit of luck we were able to make it through and eventually make it back for some brief time in the hangar before finishing the first major part of my license, the airframe section of the airframe and powerplant certification. I decided that to get the most from my education I would take a pause for the second section until the madness that surrounds us all settles down and I will be able to continue my study in a way that I will be sure to understand everything presented to me. In this period of absence I have been working on the island for a company, Fuller’s Energy, which installs residential and commercial solar systems all throughout the island. Although it doesn’t exactly pertain to my field of study I have definitely enjoyed learning about this field and how far solar technology has come and continues to grow. It feels good to see the continued growth of green energy on our island and it feels even better to be able to be a part of that growth. I look forward to returning soon to finish my mechanical trade but for now I am happy to be back on island and helping out in the ways I can. As always, thank you to all MVYouth has given and continues to give to me and the community. Your support means so much to so many, myself included.
Max Smith - Cape Cod Community College
My first semester here at Cape Cod Community College has definitely been busy. Right from the start I was reminded of what kind of commitment it would take to get myself adjusted to the nearly 40 hour weeks of classes. One of my favorite parts of the first semester would easily be some of the amazing classmates I have. Everyone helped each other get adjusted and there was very little time that I felt the stress of what seemed like too much work and too big of a commitment. The bond I have made so soon with some of my fellow peers, colleagues you could say, are ones that will last long after we have all left the program. Being surrounded by so many individuals that share the same passions and love for aviation as me reminds me every day of why I am here and why I need to give my 100% everyday. As far as classes go, I could not be more pleased and excited with each passing day. Whether it is Aircraft Drawings or Basic Electricity, there has yet to be a class that hasn’t grabbed my attention in one way or another. Not only do I get to further my education each day I walk through those doors, but the experience I get from having actual, in the field aircraft mechanics as my teachers is so much more. They provide so much more information from their own experiences then just the regular textbook offers and gives meaning to everything they teach as compared to some words on a page. With each day closer to getting out into the field I am reminded of what I am doing this all for, my love for aviation. Thanks to the wonderful folks of MVYouth I get to surround myself constantly with so many people who share the same love for aircraft as I do. We all push each other to grow and move forward each and every day, and that has to be one of my favorite parts of my first semester.