Another GWW Scholarship Alumnus provides an update!

We welcome guest posts on almost any relevant subject, just email us if you'd like a try. We especially like to keep posted from our scholarship winners beyond their obligatory essay submissions that are required of them for their award. We are so proud of all of our applicants! Stay tuned for the 2013 Summer Scholarship Winners to be announced August 1st.

And now, we hear from Alyssa Mae:

"Hello! You may know me as a past GWW scholarship winner last summer. Presently, I am 17 years old and working on my private pilot's license. I reside in CT and will be a senior in the fall. In 2012, I received an internship through EAA to live and work at the Air Academy there in Oshkosh, WI for the entire summer. This summer EAA has so generously given me this opportunity again and I am having an amazing time here!

 Most of my days are spent working as a camp counselor for the Air Academy campers ages 12-19. I facilitate a whole bunch of aviation themed hands on activities: wooden wing ribs, air compressed rockets, composite airfoils, and sheet metal projects - just to name a few. To do this, I had to learn how to do each of these projects and then be able to explain them to a group as well! Here at the Air Academy we also have a "high elements" (ropes challenge course) which I became certified to operate. I have an awesome time doing team building activities with the campers and belaying them as they climb up the 45 foot structures! While I am afraid of heights, (the irony...) I did climb to the top and go off the zip line!

Another extremely exciting aspect is the fact that my internship includes 10 hours of flight instruction! I fly the Cessna 162 SkyCatcher! By the end of summer, I hope to be close to soloing when I get back to CT! Finally, right now I am most excited for AirVenture! The Air Academy lodge, where I live and work, is about a 10 minute walk to the grounds! It's honestly the best week of my life! During AirVenture I will be mainly exploring the grounds with campers. I can not wait for the not 1, but 2(!) night air shows! I will also be working at a special EAA event called the "Gathering of Eagles" which is an auction dinner type thing. At the moment I am off to Kermit Weeks hangar at KOSH with the campers to wash planes! EAA's B-17 is there as well as "Dusty" from Disney's movie "Planes". Everyday here is amazing and it's truly my favorite place on Earth. I highly, highly recommend applying to the Air Academy as a camper or as staff. I was first a camper in 2011 and being on staff has greatly impacted my life. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about Air Academy or anything else aviation! I am on Facebook (AlyssaMaeAviatrix) or Twitter (@AMAviatrix)! Blue skies!"