February 1, 2025

Continued from my February 2025 newsletter…

Nina is a recent graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with a BS in Aerospace, which includes a concentration in Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Nina is a member of our church and was a participant in our Turner Chapel AME College Cohort throughout high school. Beginning as a middle school student, she participated in the OBAP ACE Academy during each summer throughout high school, receiving her private pilot’s license and drone certification.

Nina was a hard worker throughout high school. She was a longtime Girl Scout, earning her Gold Award, and a varsity athlete. Throughout high school, Nina never wavered in her passion for flying. However, after entering college, Nina found the costs associated with continuing in the professional pilot’s program at Middle Tennessee State prohibitive so she pivoted into the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations Concentration. As a result of pivoting to this major, and already having a drone certification, Nina landed a job immediately after graduation with a company as a drone pilot and researcher.

Watch Nina’s flight video (https://youtu.be/9I3ijxuOlfU?si=GjeQNhDebCdLO1iE).

This is a critically important consideration outlined in How to Plan Your Career or College Pathway. Following are important considerations, together with the page numbers if you choose to read more:

  • Explore the 16 National Career Clusters to identify which clusters are available in your school or school district (page xiii)
  • Keep in mind that any of these career clusters can lead into the workplace, military, or college (page xiii)
  • Be aware that whatever your future educational or career aspirations are, there are 3 basic pathways after high school: work, military, college (page 1)
  • Begin “aligning” the classes that you are taking in school with your “aspirations” after high school (page 4)
  • Begin thinking more about what it will mean to enter the workplace, military, or college after high school (page 8)
  • What is your reason for learning? (page 10)

There is no need to wait until you are a high school senior to given serious thought to your career or college pathway. As soon as you experience your first elementary school Career Day or have an experience that inspires you to explore a particular career pathway, begin thinking about the K-12 plan that would “align” with your career pathway.