Sharing WOMEN BUILD PLANES with Lifelong Learners in St. Johnsbury

Written By Beth White

We were honored to travel to St. Johnsbury to present for UVM’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, a vibrant community that brings intellectually rich learning opportunities to Vermonters age 50 and better. Zoë, Anna, Bonnie, and I made the trip together, and it was a gift to spend the afternoon sharing the story of WOMEN BUILD PLANES: A Milestone in Aviation History with such a warm, engaged audience.

During the presentation, we shared the winding path that led to Habitat for Aviation—from a learning about Beryl Markham, to earning a pilot’s license, to meeting an unexpected 80-year-old mechanic mentor, to building a renewed sense of purpose after breast cancer through creating hands-on opportunities in aviation for others. We were grateful to bring some of our Modern Rosies along in the story and to speak about the belonging, mentorship, and real work that now fill our Sundays.

What stayed with us most, though, was what happened after the talk. We had the chance to connect with some of the loveliest people, many of whom came forward to share their own aviation stories, memories, and reflections. Their response to our presentation was deeply affirming. It reminded us that aviation has a way of living inside people for a lifetime, and that when we gather to tell stories about courage and pursuit of meaning, we connect more deeply. We left St. Johnsbury feeling grateful and encouraged.

Beth White

Education Possibilitarian, Artist, Writer, Doula, Mentor, Aviatrix, Breast Cancer Survivor, Pilot-in-Command at Habitat for Aviation

Born and raised in Vermont, Beth worked in a variety of schools in New England, including The Met, which is Big Picture Learning, flagship public high school in Providence, Rhode Island. After a decade in the classroom, Beth returned to the University of Vermont to earn a PhD in educational leadership and policy studies. She is an education possibilitarian, artist, a writer, a Doula, a mentor and aviatrix and most recently, after winning a tough battle with breast cancer, Beth founded Habitat for Aviation to inspire the next generation of airplane mechanics, avionics, specialists and pilots.

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