Written by Sadie Zagwoski
The Aviation Club gives students the privilege to expandtheir knowledge on several topics within aviation and gain experience within the field. The club enables students with similar interests to work together in a productive and resourceful environment. Members of the club do not have to be enrolled in the Aviation CTE program, which extends the opportunity tostudents who may be unable to fit the courses in their schedule. The Aviation Club provides Wallenpaupack students with the unique opportunity of working with aircrafts, regardless of experience level. Sophomore Faith Merop joined the programwithout ever being on a plane. As she learned more, she later decided to join the club as well. When asked about what incoming students should consider, Faith said, “The intro is great to see if you like aviation or not, and it gives a lot of opportunities.”
The Aviation Club is open to anybody who is curious about the field and is looking to learn more.
During meetings, members work on a wide variety ofprojects. For example, junior Gavin Michiels worked on the preparation of the flight simulator. He aided in taking it apartand removing the parts of the aircraft that were not needed for the simulator, such as wiring and the wings. Meeting activities consist of work and practice with the flight simulator, maintenance projects, and any other aviation topic of thestudents’ choosing. Students also work on and receive help with scholarships, both aviation specific and general. Members can cater their work to their career path or recreational interests.
Mr. Greenberger is the club’s faculty advisor and founder/developer of the aviation program. As I interviewed him, I learned that the artifacts and displays found in his classroom are all donations. The club and program are fueled by the support of local airports and community relations. Mr. Greenberger’s favorite part of the club is, “seeing students take ownership and work on projects they would in the industry, and the collaboration between students and industry partners.”
A huge factor of the Aviation Club is its strong connection with organizations outside of the school. Mr. Greenberger, along with student members, often engage in interviews with local journalists or news stations, strengthening their connection with the community through publicity. The club is unlike any other in our area. If you have any questions about the Aviation Club or CTE program, you can reach out to Mr. Greenberger via email or stop by his room, 244.
