Each year, Questar III BOCES celebrates Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month®, a time to celebrate our students and the opportunities CTE provides. While our students are learning the technical skills required to fill employment needs across our region, state, and country, they’re also developing the soft skills to become great employees and leaders. When a student chooses a CTE program, they’re choosing more than just job training; they’re choosing to be prepared for what comes next, whether that’s college, advanced training, or an immediate career in the workforce. We’re honored to provide them with that foundation.
Join us throughout the month of February as we celebrate all things CTE. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn to learn more about our programs and our students.
Ava Noel is a senior in the Aviation program at Donald R. Kline Technical School from Schodack CSD.
Questar III BOCES student Ava Noel is a senior in the Aviation program at Donald R. Kline Technical School from Schodack Central School District. Last year, she was the first person in her class to conduct a solo flight, before she could even earn a driver’s license.
“Ever since I was younger, I’ve always loved to travel,” shared Ava. “I’ve always seen a career in aviation, but at first, it was more of a flight attendant path. But when I learned that it’s possible to become a pilot through this program, I quickly joined.”
Once school started, Ava wasted no time getting into an airplane. She took her discovery flight in a Cirrus SR22, sharing that it’s a 4-person, $1.5 Million mini jet and one of the most high-tech airplanes available.
“It was just unreal,” Ava said. “We went up for about 45 minutes to an hour. I got to fly the airplane a little bit. There was this feeling inside me that felt like, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I felt complete. I felt like I found that piece of me that was missing that I was searching for.”
Soon after her discovery flight, Ava was ready to take to the skies on her own. While she admits she was a bit nervous, she said it was a good type of nervousness.
“Once I hit full throttle, all of the nerves went away,” Ava explained. “It was just all professionalism that both my (flight) instructor and (teacher) Mr. Radek (Wyrzykowski) taught me, it all came together.”
But there’s a lot more to this program than just jumping into airplanes. Through their classwork, students learn about aircrafts, flight instruments, classifications, reading maps, radio communication procedures, weather, decision making, and so much more. They’ve had several guest pilots in from organizations like the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Delta Airlines, worked with flight instructors at area airports, and have taken field trips to places like the Albany Air Traffic Control Tower. And just like all our CTE teachers, Aviation teacher Radek Wyrzykowski is a pilot himself with years of experience.
“Mr. Radek is one of the smartest people that I know,” Ava shared. “He is a wealth of knowledge and shares everything he knows with us. I’m never afraid to ask him a question because he’ll always have an answer. He makes me push myself harder every single day and supports everyone’s goals. I’m very grateful to have him as a teacher.”
Outside of flight time, classroom instruction, and networking with aviation professionals, students also build essential soft skills. For Ava, teamwork stands out as the most important.
“I think working with a team is very important as a pilot, and we learn a lot of that here,” Ava said. “When you’re in the airlines, or any pilot job, you have to be able to work with your team. Whether you’re the captain, first officer, flight attendant, ground crew, or air traffic control, everyone is working together to make that flight happen.”
Ava was forced to wait until her senior year to earn her FAA Private Pilot’s License, which she did soon after her 17th birthday in October. Since then, she has also earned her Complex and Tailwheel Endorsements.
“Towards my flying, I’ve probably paid less than $500 for all my flight training. This program has saved me probably tens of thousands of dollars. It’s helped me earn my Private Pilot’s License, I’ve met new people, visited new places. I’ve gotten so many opportunities just through this program.”
Following graduation, Ava plans to attend a 4-year college, with the hope of finishing early thanks to her Questar III BOCES experience. She’s been accepted to several colleges so far and has yet to narrow down her choice. She is also exploring the Navy and Air Force.
Watch a video of Ava’s first solo flight: