Alyssa Mae's First Scholarship Essay!

I give to you the first essay from Alyssa Mae, the recipient of our 2012 Summer "Dreams Take Flight" Scholarship. The Girls With Wings Scholarship Program provides funds for flight training to selected individuals with a willingness to be superlative GWW role models. Winners show potential to continue her interaction with the GWW organization, via the website and events, so she can assist GWW in encouraging more young girls to have an interest in aviation. Part of the obligation for being awarded the scholarship is to submit at least one picture and an associated journal entry once a month for three months to the Girls With Wings blog to share with others her training, as well as email a final essay summarizing how the scholarship helped her, what she learned and her intent to continue her work as a role model and volunteer for the Girls With Wings, Inc., organization. 

Stay tuned for more essays from our other scholarship winner. And now, may we present Alyssa Mae:

Hello!

First and foremost I would really like to thank Girls With Wings for so generously endowing me with the Dreams Take Flight Scholarship. I feel truly blessed and honored to have received such a gift. It has pushed me to get my feet off the ground (literally) and to start flying lessons! It will be a tremendous help as the money I have saved up so far, doesn't cover that much.

I would also like to extend a huge thanks to my mentor Chuck, who not only told me about this scholarship; but is also helping me a lot with starting my flying lessons. When I found out about this scholarship I was actually in Oshkosh, Wisconsin! I was part of the Cliff Robertson Work Experience program at EAA/EAA Air Academy. It was an amazing summer, and one of the best parts was that my internship included free instructional time! I had some of the best instructors ever and I truly learned a lot. I earned about 8 hours there flying in EAA's Cessna SkyCatchers. The flights we took were incredible! I flew at sunset, in the rain, and even 80 miles away to Door County and over Lake Michigan! The absolute best feeling of my life was when I got to take off, fly for 2 hours, and LAND all on my own!!!!

So between the instructional time I received out in OSH, and this wonderful scholarship; I knew it was time that I signed up for actual flying lessons! Tweed Airport is about 10 minutes away from my school so I signed up for flying lessons there thought their flight school called Robinson Aviation. This week I met with the manager and received my POH and area sectional. I set up my first flying lesson for September 16 and my medical examination for September 21! I'm excited!

With the scholarship and my saved money, I have enough for a good chunk of flight time. But I have a rather annoying dilemma - I don't turn 17 until June 28, 2013. So from now until then, I guess I will just pace myself. I don't want to rush or go too slow. (as long as I'm flying, I'm happy) Currently, I plan to finish Sporty's online ground school course and memorize my POH for the Piper Warrior! Thanks again Girls With Wings, your scholarship will go to good use! :)


Blue Skies!

Alyssa Mae