2009 Scholarship Recipients
Since 1970, the Academy of Model Aeronautics has provided scholarships to young men and women seeking to continue their education in colleges and universities. The primary awards are presented through the Charles Hampson Grant scholarships.
In 2009, six individuals received a portion of the Charles Hampson Grant awards. These monies came from a variety of sources including gifts, memorials, and the AMA general fund.
A year ago, AMA took an additional step to sustain the scholarship program by establishing a Scholarship Endowment. This further supports student success and opportunity by creating a permanent fund for scholarships and safeguarding the promise of an education for future generations.
By giving to the Scholarship Endowment, you help create a permanent fund for student scholarships and help ensure that more students have the opportunity to realize their potential. Invest in the future of young aeromodelers and help them prepare for the challenges of tomorrow.
The top winner of this year’s Grant awards also received a scholarship provided by the Toledo Weak Signals from monies generated from the club’s annual trade show and exposition. This year the Weak Signals contributed $1,500.
In its third year, the Telford Scholarship, honoring the late Cliff Telford, is based on participation in competition activity in the AMA and FAI classifications including national and world-class competition. This year’s award was $5,000.
This year, 15 applicants met the established criteria and were considered by the committee. Evaluated by a four-member committee, the applicants are rated in several major areas including grade average, test results, school and community activities, and modeling activities. High achievement in all of the categories is important for the maximum amount of scholarship awarded to an individual.
Again this year, the committee members were extremely close to one another in their evaluations of the applications. Six students were granted awards this year and $40,800 was awarded in all.
The students’ planned majors include:
- Materials science
- Aerospace engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Mechanical engineering
- Biomedical engineering
Information regarding applications may be obtained from April Hathaway at AMA Headquarters or from the AMA Education Web site at www.modelaircraft.org/education.aspx. The deadline for applying for next year’s scholarships is April 30, 2010.
If you would like to support the growth of the Education Endowment, please contact April at (765) 287-1256, extension 516, or e-mail her at [email protected].
Kyle Jones
Kyle Jones from Avon Lake, Ohio, was awarded $7,400 from Charles Hampson Grant funds, received $1,500 from the Weak Signals Award, and was the recipient of a $5,000 Telford Scholarship.
Introduced to the hobby by his father, who learned from his father, Kyle began flying when he was 10 and attended his first Nats in 2000. Beginning with catapult and hand-launched gliders, he soon took an exceptional interest in towline gliders (F1A) and F1H in FAI competition.
Mentored by veteran free-flight modelers Brian Van Nest, Jim Parker, and others, Kyle’s skills increased and he began attending contests across the U.S. He tried out for and made the U.S. Junior team that competed in the 2006 World Championships in Germany. He placed ninth that year and the U.S. Juniors won the team championships in F1A and overall.
He earned a place on the 2008 Junior team and made the flyoffs at the World Championships in Ukraine, again placing ninth individually. The F1A team took second place and the U.S. Juniors again won the overall team championships.
Kyle holds the National Junior Record for duration in F1H. He has placed well in a number of competitions including the America’s Cup and Max Men International.
Kyle graduated in the top 10 of his class at Saint Ignatius High School with a 4.37 weighted grade point average, taking a number of honors and advanced-placement classes. He joined the school’s rowing team in his freshman year and devoted many hours in the early mornings and after school for practice. Crew became a passion for Kyle. He medaled in the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Championships, contributed to three Overall Men’s Team Points Trophies in the Midwest, and raced twice at the National Rowing Association of America’s National Championships.
Kyle has participated in a number of charitable causes including the Mission Collection Committee, Christmas food drives, and volunteering at a local hospital assisting patients attend Mass. He is a student member of a Pallbearers Society, a group that organizes people to serve as pallbearers for poor and homeless people.
On a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, Kyle lived with a rural family and helped with many community projects. He has also participated in the Labre Ministry to the Homeless, sharing food and friendship with homeless people in Cleveland, Ohio.
He was a member of the National Honor Society and was recognized with the Saint Michael’s College Book Award for Scholarship and Service.
Kyle will be attending Boston University and plans to study biomedical engineering. Best of luck to you in college, Kyle!
Powell Brown
Powell Brown of Silver City, New Mexico, was awarded $6,300 from the Charles Hampson Grant Scholarship funds. Powell, who graduated from Silver High School with a 3.96 grade point average out of a possible 4.0, was elected vice president of the Silver Wings R/C Aero Modelers in 2006.
He serves as a club training instructor, introducing peers to R/C. "I believe the most important part of model aviation is sharing with others the knowledge and enjoyment this hobby brings," Powell wrote. "I have been given so much by other modelers, that the only way I can give back is through giving my knowledge to others."
Powell first discovered modeling as a small child, but it wasn’t until he was older that he began visiting a nearby club where Art Fuerstenberg, Powell’s mentor, took him under his wing and began teaching him to fly Art’s Senior Telemaster.
Powell’s family moved before he had a chance to solo, so he began experimenting with small balsa gliders, stick-and-tissue models, and backyard gliders on his own. He purchased a two-channel park flyer and tried to teach himself to fly. Powell finally soloed a glow-powered airplane during a visit to Art in 2004. The following year, Art gave Powell the Modeltech Magic on which he soloed and a Great Planes SlowPoke.
In school, Powell participated in Science Olympiad, Supercomputing, and science fairs. He attended the INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair in Reno, Nevada, and took several classes at the local college including pilot ground school.
Powell plans to attend the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and major in mechanical engineering. Best wishes for a successful career and congratulations!
Timothy Collard
Timothy Collard of Olathe, Kansas, is the recipient of a $5,900 Charles Hampson Grant Scholarship from the AMA Scholarship program. Tim is the son of Daniel and Karen Collard. He plans to continue his education at Missouri University of Science and Technology and will study electrical engineering.
A graduate of Olathe Northwest High School, Tim graduated in the top five of his class of 375, with a perfect 4.0 unweighted grade point average. In high school, he was active in Battlebots and Scholar’s Bowl, a team jeopardy trivia competition, and FIRST Robotics. FIRST stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.
Tim captained the Scholar’s Bowl team that placed third in state competition. He served as an officer and chairman of the electrical department and programming department of FIRST Robotics Team 1710 that qualified for international competition in Atlanta, Georgia, during his sophomore and senior years.
Tim was inducted into the National Honor Society in his junior year and maintained membership throughout his senior year. He was named a National Merit Commended Scholar for his PSAT score, an Advanced Placement Scholar, and a Kansas State Designated Scholar.
Throughout high school, Tim participated in the Aerospace and Engineering Program, a pre-engineering program at his school that focuses on many of the mathematical and scientific principles behind engineering. It introduces students to the fundamentals of design through AutoCAD and a project-oriented curriculum.
In one of these classes, students designed and built a free-flight (FF) model using the Wright Stuff competition guidelines. Tim recorded the best flight time in his class.
In addition to Tim’s scholastic accomplishments and activities, he volunteered with a local food kitchen, the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign, a local branch of Catholic Charities, engineering and science camps, and mentored three FIRST Lego League teams.
Tim also maintained an internship at Kiewit Power Engineers as an electrical/instrumentation and controls design intern. He was promoted to a full designer and worked in the information technology department within the corporation.
Coming from a family of modelers, Tim has been flying since he was 14 years old. His father, sister, and mother are all members of AMA.
Tim began learning to fly at the Shawnee Mission Radio Control Club, which held designated training nights on Tuesdays. Tim worked with club instructors frequently. He soloed on his NexStar within a few months, and progressed through several different models, including a Sig Somethin’ Extra. He now flies an electric Great Planes Edge 540.
Congratulations, Tim, and good luck at Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Wesley Rieth
Wesley Rieth of Three Oaks, Michigan, received a $5,900 Charles Hampson Grant scholarship. He is enrolled in Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and plans to pursue a degree in engineering.
A graduate of River Valley High School, Wesley was active in band and choir, as well as theater. He participated in his high school marching band and concert band for four years and was section leader of the drumline. Wesley was chosen to participate in the Michigan School Band & Orchestra Association’s District All-Star Band and performed with the Albion College High School Honors Band and the Hope College High School Honors Band.
Wesley was a vocalist in his high school Chamber Choir, and participated in a number of Solo and Ensemble events. He was chosen twice to be a member of the Southwest Michigan Vocal Festival Honors Choir. In 2008 Wesley was the recipient of the prestigious Arion Award for his outstanding participation in band and choir.
He was a member, and later president, of his National Honor Society and was elected to be a representative of his high school student congress. Wesley also played baseball and soccer, and was active in the school’s drama club.
Wesley assisted with his church’s after-school daycare program and worked as the church’s audio-visual technician. He also served on the Harbert Community Church Worship and Arts Committee. Wesley coached youth soccer and participated in the Berrien County Youth Fair, the largest youth fair in the Midwest, for a number of years, exhibiting poultry, plants, and art. He was chosen Youth Fair King in 2008.
Wesley’s aeromodeling interests began when he was in elementary school and could see models flying from the school. He attended the local club’s open houses and was determined to learn more about aeromodeling.
A member of the club who attended Wesley’s church gave him a .40 trainer and began teaching him to fly. Wesley joined AMA and the Whirlwinds of Southwest Michigan and soloed the following summer. He has since built and flown a Hangar 9 Pulse XT40, a Hangar 9 Funtana X100, and a Treneff RC Battle Axe SSC kit.
Wesley has helped the club with field maintenance, open houses and fly-ins, and mall shows. He wrote, "My experiences I have gained through being a part of the Whirlwinds of Southwest Michigan will stick with me for the rest of my life.
Although I didn’t realize it at the time, my love of flying model airplanes wasn’t the reason I spent money on them. It was the camaraderie, endless tinkering, and the sharing of helpful ideas — not the actual flying — that has kept me in the hobby for so long and the reason I still participate in it today."
Good luck and congratulations on your successes, Wesley!
Matthew Kudija
Matthew Kudija of Templeton, California, is the son of David and Karen Kudija, and has two younger sisters. A high achiever, Matthew earned his Eagle Scout badge while still in the eighth grade, and received his private pilot’s license two days after his 17th birthday.
Matthew joined the Civil Air Patrol in eighth grade and now holds the rank of Cadet First Lieutenant. He served as Squadron 103 Cadet Commander from March 2006 to 2007.
In the Scouts, Matthew was the American Legion Scout of the Year for the Department of California and, among other honors, he was a member of the National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience staff and participated in the 2007 World Scout Jamboree as a Senior Patrol Leader.
Scouting also gave Matthew a chance to hone his model-aviation skills. "I was working on the aviation merit badge at the time," he wrote, "and having been interested in flying and aviation for a number of years, decided to pursue model aviation."
After some research and a visit to a local club, Matthew bought and assembled a glow-powered trainer. He experimented with various modifications including a detachable, servo-operated bomb bay, a servo-operated camera mount, and other control-surface mixing techniques.
He built a small flying wing that he could fly at home and used the aircraft as a test bed for his eighth grade science fair project, which examined the effects of various CG locations and propeller dimensions on maximum cruise speed.
"I am an aspiring engineer," he wrote, "and therefore my most rewarding modeling activities have been with planes that I have designed myself." The first such aircraft was a small, scratch-built sailplane that he built, which fulfilled the requirements for his model designing and building merit badge.
Matthew graduated from Mission College Preparatory School with a 4.49 grade point average out of a possible 4.55. He received departmental awards in social sciences and in science in high school, and was honored with the Bob Yetter Athletic/Community Spirit Award.
Matthew was co-captain of the varsity soccer and volleyball teams and was Robotics Club president and team captain. Academically, Matthew was a commended student in the National Merit Scholarship program.
He was student director of Campus Ministry, organizing and leading campus ministry including liturgies, prayer services, retreats, and community service. Matthew has also worked at a local kitchen helping provide meals for the poor and participated in other fund-raisers.
Matthew received a $4,400 Charles Hampson Grant scholarship. He is studying aerospace engineering at the University of Notre Dame. From the Academy and its members, best of luck, Matthew.
Joseph Triska
Joseph "Joey" Triska received $4,400 from the Charles Hampson Grant funds. A homeschooled student from near Estacada, Oregon, Joey attends Cornell University with an intended major in materials science, a field linked with aeronautics and avionics. "Aircraft coatings, polymer composites and electronic materials for flight systems all come out of this area of research," he wrote. Joey's other interests include nanotechnology and organic semiconductors.
Joey is a founding member of the Performing Arts Group of Estacada. He has written, acted in, performed music for, and helped produce published and original plays for the last eight seasons. He was active in the drama and music departments at the local high school, earning recognition as Student of the Year in Drama, Best Actor, Outstanding Senior Actor, and Most Likely to Succeed in Theater.
He was also a member of an a cappella quartet that performed music of the British Isles and was selected for the Strangeland Family Youth Choral Academy at the Oregon Bach Festival.
Joey is a certified SCUBA diver and a member of Scuba Schools International. He is a member of the Portland-area Robotics Society and participated in the PDXBot Robotics Expo where he built and customized mini-sumo autonomous line-following battle robots.
Joey has been an AMA member since 1998 and is a member of the Fun Flyers RC club. He began by helping his father build and repair aircraft. He wrote, "As I grew older, the challenges grew more interesting and diverse, and I learned a skill less obvious than simply building and flying: that of risk management, a tool priceless to an engineer."
Joey generally attends and competes in area fun-flys and has achieved a couple of first-place finishes. His aircraft include a Bergen Intrepid, a Raptor 30, a .40 Eagle, and he is learning to fly his father's Furion. He has helped cook at club functions and assisted with field maintenance and mowing.
Along with his brothers and father, Joey helped design and build their own electrical system monitor. More than two years went into designing, prototyping, and testing the VoltMagic RC volt monitor. "I worked on most aspects of the design," Joey wrote, "including optimization of trace paths in the circuit board layout, initial program flow programming, and even product packaging and design."
Joey credits model aeronautics as much as regular schooling for preparing him for the rigors of higher education and beyond. Congratulations, and good luck in your future!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
