FIS National Rep Teaches Kids to Aim High
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- Published: March 19, 2015
Martha Burgoon Parish, an airspace system inspection pilot (ASIP) and the PASS Flight Inspection Services national representative, has always been very passionate about what she does and the career path she chose. As a lover of all things aviation related, she very much enjoys the opportunity to share her personal knowledge and experiences with others. For that reason, she regularly volunteers at career fairs and other community events to provide insight to young children and adults about the world of aviation.
Most recently, Parish dedicated her time to participate in the first annual Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) career fair at R. J. O’Brien STEM Academy on March 5. The goal of the STEM career fair was to provide students and families of East Hartford, Conn., opportunities to explore the various STEM career fields throughout the community and state. The career fair consisted of 18 different stations, including participants from the New England Museum of Science, the CT Manufacturer’s Association and CT Women in Engineering. Parish worked with the education director of the New England Air Museum, Caroline d’Otreppe, to deliver an educational and enriching experience by encouraging participation from students. Without discussing all of the technical details of everything associated with being a pilot, Parish engaged students by showing them pictures and video clips of various airplane models in motion. She also made her station interactive by displaying the different components and functions of airplanes via standalone models and giving them the opportunity to hold a portion of a glider wing to feel the composite material.
A point that Parish tries to emphasize during her presentations is that a pilot can come from all walks of life. As a female representing the smaller portion of the overall pilot population, Parish especially appreciates the chance to speak with young women about women pilots in America. A common question she receives is, “How do people learn to fly?” Parish admits that this question was at the foundation of her personal journey to becoming a pilot and wishes she had received more information at a younger age. Now she looks to solve that problem by investing her time and being able to impact a young person by saying, “Look, here’s how I went about and did it, and you can, too!”
Parish finds the ability to expose students to something new and ultimately providing them with tools to explore different careers and possibilities the most rewarding aspect of participating in career fairs. Parish said, “You tell a kid you’re a pilot and show him all of your pictures and they say, wait a second, you actually fly an airplane?” She shared one particular instance during the STEM career fair when a young, polite student by the name of T.J. introduced Parish to his mother. T.J.’s mother conveyed that he had come home from school that day and, much to her surprise, announced to her that he wanted to be a pilot. To Parish, that’s what makes all the difference in the world.