Who would have ever thought that I would have the opportunity to stand in line with a wonderful
group of young adults that are the same
age as I am, with the same love for aviation
as;I;have,;and;to;graduate;from an incred-ible academy as the National Flight Academy’s;Ambition program?
The time I spent at the Academy leading up to this moment was an awe-inspiring, unimaginable time of discovering,
motivation, participation and learning
new skills. Among many other activities at the Flight School were exercises
in Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics.
As;my;family;drove;all;the;way;from
eastern;Tennessee;to;Pensacola;FL,;I;felt
excited,;but anxious.;Everything;was;set
though;;I had;my suitcase, I;had;a;schol-arship, and they were expecting me at
12:00pm;sharp.
When we pulled up to the entrance of
the military base which houses the acade-
my, we;gave;our;names;to;the;man;in;uni-
form;at;the;base;gate. We;then drove;up
to the National Naval Aviation Museum,
because right behind it is where I was to
stay;for;five;days;and;nights,;participat-
ing in the Ambition program. Inside, my
dad;and;I;met;a;kind,;elderly;man;(retired
military);at;a;desk;and;he led;us through
the;museum;which;is;filled;with;many
different;kinds;of;incredible airplanes.;We
were;then;brought to;the area;where;all
the youths that;had;been;accepted;to;the
program,;including;myself, would;be;stay-
ing;for;five;exciting;days!
After I said goodbye to the family and
I;was;officially;set;and registered,;I;was
taken;to;a;group;of;ten;young;adults;be-
tween the ages of sixteen and seventeen.
For the;next five;days;of;my;stay;at;the
academy, this was my unit; my squad-
ron and I went everywhere and spent
every day together. I was honored to get
to;know;them;over;that;week,;and;soon
enough,;we;were;all;good friends.
www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
By;Julia;Suarez
My;Path;to;Flight
I had;my suitcase, I;had;a;scholarship,
and;they;were;expecting;me;at;12:00pm;sharp.