EAA Chapter 613 & Habitat for Aviation Celebrates our Grads

Written By Beth White

It is important to regularly gather to celebrate milestones – our graduating seniors are no exception. In true EAA Chapter 613/Habitat for Aviation fashion, we did so with a backyard-style BBQ at Franklin County State Airport with airplanes on the ramp, project planes pushed towards the back, and hangar doors wide open.

We gathered to honor young people who have grown up with us – many spending years learning by doing. This group of badass seniors are already on the move: continuing flight training, starting A&P programs, studying engineering and aeronautics. Recognizing the hours logged in our hangars and in the airplanes and how often they mentored younger builders—made the celebration especially sweet.

The afternoon felt even bigger because of who stood with us. Our EAA Chapter 613 and Habitat for Aviation community turned out in force, joined by friends from The Ninety-Nines International Conference—Captain Lynn Rippelmeyer and our sisters from the Katahdin and Eastern New England chapters. 

Seeing trailblazing pilots and aviation enthusiasts shoulder-to-shoulder with our newest graduates was a living picture of our mission. We are excited not only for these grads to take flight—but to carry our story, our values forward.

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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