This is a Sponsored Post from K12 Washington. Author credit: Savannah Norton
Genesis Middlebos
Now a 15-year-old at Washington Virtual Academy (WAVA), she is able to maintain good grades and focus on all things aerospace.
After talking to the air show organizers about how she could get involved, she was invited to visit the local squadron, which eventually turned into a scholarship to attend the cadet program of the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol (CAP).
Now she is a captain at the academy, has earned solo flight wings, and is currently working to obtain her instructor’s license.
“I love seeing the world from a new perspective,” Genesis said. “Even your standard city block is something of beauty when viewed as a great landscape 4,000 feet above ground level.”
Genesis first enrolled in WAVA in 2011 when she started third grade because her family was seeking a more tailored and individualized educational experience.
“The curriculum offered at my traditional academy simply was not challenging enough,” Genesis said.
Time was also a factor in Genesis’ switch to virtual school. She is involved with a wide variety of extracurricular activities, including Irish dancing, figure skating, equine barrel racing, Civil War reenacting, and sewing, on top of her time devoted to CAP.
It became apparent that the different time schedules did not mix well together.
“CAP is about as full-time as a volunteer position can get,” Genesis said. “Transitioning to an academy like WAVA that offered not only advanced and student-oriented curriculums, but also the ability to create my own schedule seemed like a win-win situation.”
Genesis has been a part of the CAP program for three years and enjoys every minute of it. She started as a Cadet Basic who attended weekly meetings and events, but now, after an extensive history of promotions, she is a Cadet Captain and the commander of her squadron.
Genesis is happy to be sharing her love of aviation with others by training more pilots, and she hopes to continue honing her aerospace ability and pursue a career in aviation. She says what she likes most about flying is the physical aspect of it.
“It can be the most relaxing, sailing feeling to calm the nerves, or a thrill-seeker’s dream with the likeness of a roller coaster,” Genesis said. “There truly is nothing quite like the day you experience zero gravity conditions for the very first time.”
WAVA’s science and math classes have helped Genesis advance with algebraic equations and physics. She feels it has put her a step ahead of her peers.
“Because WAVA has taught me these concepts, I need not be shown them by our aerospace instructors and therefore can focus energy on more advanced aerospace concepts,” Genesis said.
Genesis loves the on-on-one teacher support and rigorous curriculum offered at WAVA.
“Every single instructor has been more than willing to assist and was patient during a few of my rough times,” Genesis said. “The available curriculum has been beyond amazing. I have had the pleasure of not only going after my specific areas of interest, but I’ve also been able to enjoy experiencing other subjects, including foreign language and computer-related sciences.”
Academically, Genesis is able to work ahead and is hoping to graduate when she turns 17. She also takes courses through her local community college to earn both her high school diploma and an Associate’s Degree.
Her dream is to allow those around her to experience the feeling that she gets while in flight. Genesis wants to enlist in the Air Force and become a flight instructor.
“My biggest aspiration is to be yet another aviatrix who passes her dreams down to the next generation and that the art of flight may never die out,” Genesis said.
The above is a sponsored post from K12 Washington.
February 5, 2017
Everett Schools