JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- When Matthew Carter stepped off the plane in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in the summer of 2013, he couldn’t be sure the Teen Aviation Camp at the U.S. Air Force Academy would help him achieve his goal of being a cadet there. Matthew has returned to the Academy as a freshman, and he credits experiences like the aviation camp as the fuel for his upward thrust.
“I really wanted to spend time at and learn more about USAFA,” said Matthew. “My mom was searching for a summer camp on the internet and got connected with the people who run Teen Aviation Camp.”
Designed by Air Force Services Activity and Youth Programs to help upcoming high school sophomores and juniors determine if aviation or attending the Academy is a path they’d like to pursue, the camp offers a variety of experiences and challenges for cadets. Events include tours of the Academy, flights on Cessna small-engine aircraft, team challenges and group morale activities. All of these activities prepare campers to determine if the Academy is really a path for them.
“I had done a research paper a couple of years prior to my visit, and all of the officers that I talked with told me to go the (Reserve Officer Training Corps) route,” said Matthew. “Before coming to the Academy, I had been pretty much convinced that I should go to a regular university and do ROTC. After my visit to the Academy, I did not have any doubts. When I left, I planned to return in two years. I was confident that even though it would be difficult, it was exactly where I needed to go.”
Matthew’s mother, Julie, knew her son was on a path to the Academy from an early age and wanted to help him succeed.
“My son had wanted to attend (the Academy) ever since he was a very young child,” said his mother. “We really wanted Matthew to have the opportunity to stay at the Air Force Academy. It was our hope that the visit would solidify his desire to attend the AFA before he started with the arduous admissions process.”
Getting the opportunity to experience the Academy at the Teen Aviation Camp wasn’t easy, however. Matthew had to fill out all the required paperwork and undergo interviews for nominations from local Youth Programs directors to qualify. For Matthew, the camp application process, like the USAFA application process, was worth the effort to pursue his dream of flying for the Air Force.
“As far as I recall I have always wanted to fly,” said Matthew. “My father has been at Robins AFB, Georgia, for many years. I wanted to go to an ‘Air Force school.’ I worked hard, kept my grades up, participated in athletics and earned a bronze Congressional Award for youth. It is much easier to arrive somewhere when you keep that goal in sight.”
Julie credits Matthew’s ability to attend the camp as instrumental to Matthew’s commitment and ultimate acceptance at the Academy, where he recently arrived as a freshman cadet.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Teen Aviation (Camp) was instrumental in the decision-making process,” said Julie. At USAFA, Julie said Matthew was able to compare labs between the Academy and that of major universities, as well as get exact information on how to plan his athletics and academics in the upcoming years of school to prepare himself for applying and eventually attending the Academy. “It is a rare and valuable opportunity for a rising high school sophomore or junior to actually spend a week at the Academy.”
For parents considering Teen Aviation Camp as an exploratory tool for their own children for the Academy, Julie outlined a few things they should know going into applications.
“Having gone through the college search process, there are many factors that need to be considered when a young man or young lady determines where they want to go to college,” said Julie. “A very crucial factor for my son was ‘are the labs accessible to students? Are the labs well-planned and well-maintained?’ Simply being at the (Academy) gives a young person the opportunity to spend time on the premises and decide if the facility itself is what they are looking for in a school.
“Additionally, the camper is almost certainly going to be in a place where they do not know anyone. It is an opportunity for the camper to meet other young people from every imaginable geographic region. The camp is extremely structured, which is absolutely essential to get the most of this experience. The counselors were amazing, and I thought the itinerary was a perfect mix of fun, team-building and information.”
Matthew had advice for the campers to maximize their experience.
“They should participate whole-heartedly in all aspects,” said Matthew. “Look around and take any opportunity to speak with cadets. Listen to the information sessions, so that you know what it takes to actually be accepted in to the Academy.”
Matthew settled on applying to the Academy during Teen Aviation Camp, and took away an important lesson on staying focused on the goal ahead.
“I have always dreamed of flying for the Air Force one day,” said Matthew, who has been pursuing a private pilot’s license. “This end goal will help me make it through the difficult days at the Academy. It is critical to live one day at a time at the Academy while also keeping the end goal in mind.”
For more information on the Teen Aviation Week and other AFSVA Youth Programs, visit http://www.myairforcelife.com/Youth.