John Edwards took his senior project to new heights Wednesday. The Superior High School senior flew a helicopter into the Richard I. Bong Airport in Superior as community and school evaluators looked on. His mother, Lynne, grinned and clapped. His father and grandparents looked on with pride.
John Edwards took his senior project to new heights Wednesday. The Superior High School senior flew a helicopter into the Richard I. Bong Airport in Superior as community and school evaluators looked on. His mother, Lynne, grinned and clapped. His father and grandparents looked on with pride.
“I had a great experience doing this,” the 18-year-old said after exiting the helicopter. “I can’t tell you how exciting it is every time I fly … every time you lift off it’s, I can’t explain that feeling.”
He walked evaluators through his pre-flight check, told them what each gauge and instrument measured and discussed safe flying.
“No matter if it’s windy or not, it’s hard,” the senior said. “You have that stick, you have three things to control and each one of those things can throw you off.”
The controls are so sensitive that even a sneeze can cause an unintended shift. Although it was his sixth trip up, Edwards relied on the help of flight instructor Shawn Monson from Lake Superior Helicopters.
“I need the pilot’s help every time I fly,” the senior said. “It’s extremely difficult. Once you get it down, though, it’s fun.”
He talked about career opportunities and the possibility of earning a helicopter pilot’s license in the future.
“It’s something you can do for the rest of your life,” Edwards said.
The presentation earned him two thumbs way up from evaluators, who made a special trip to the airport for the project.
“I think I can say he passed,” said SHS English teacher Kim Towns.
All SHS seniors must complete a senior project as a graduation requirement. They can choose between career exploration, learning a new skill, service or peer research. Then they write an essay and give a presentation about what they learned. Past seniors have mastered musical instruments and learned to scuba dive. They have raised money for food shelves and service organizations. One student built a canoe; another made a motorcycle out of a 10-speed. But Edwards’ project soared with aviation.
“I’d say this is definitely one of the more unique ones,” said Dave Minor, president and chief executive officer of the Superior-Douglas County Chamber of Commerce, who helped evaluate the project.
“It’s a great example to underclassmen,” said Tom Borich, senior project coordinator at SHS. “Look how creative you can be with your senior project.”
Edwards’ mentor was the next door neighbor, his grandfather Bernie Stein, co-owner of Lake Superior Helicopters.
“He’s been hanging around aviation all his life with me,” Stein. “And when we first got into the helicopters he wanted to take a ride.”
Once was all it took.
“I got hooked,” Edwards said.
The teen was initially planning to do career research for his senior project. But his mother lofted the idea of flying a helicopter. Edwards asked his grandparents. They said “Yes.” He asked school counselor Scott Bruce. He said “When.”
Edwards managed to squeeze the presentation in between returning from state FBLA competition late Tuesday night and making up a college accounting test at the University of Wisconsin-Superior on Wednesday. He encouraged others to look outside the box for a senior project.
“Don’t pick a senior project because it’s easy; pick it because you want to,” Edwards said. “It’s never too out there.”
Senior projects have been a graduation requirement since 2006. In the beginning, Minor was tapped to find mentors for students.
“What we found out is the kids really found their own mentors,” Minor said, although between 25 and 50 students per year need help finding mentors in particular fields. Over time, his role has shifted to recruiting volunteers to evaluate the projects.
“We have a list of probably 350 people that we use throughout the year that come in,” Minor said. While evaluating students, he said, they get a chance to meet all the seniors, not just the ones they read about in the paper.
For many of the students, it’s their first formal presentation in front of someone outside the school district. Evaluators treat each student with the same level of respect and provide honest feedback, Minor said.
“I love it; it’s a fun process,” he said. “You get to see these kids up close and personal and talk to them before and afterwards and to see that relief when they’re done … It’s a good moment for them.”
Community members or parents interested in being evaluators can contact Minor at (715) 394-7716 or via e-mail at dm@superiorchamber.org or Mike Matejka at (715) 394-8720, ext. 204 or via e-mail at mike.matejka@superior.k12.wi.us.
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