One of Ramapo’s finest Seniors, Zach Hernandez, is approaching his fourth year in his internship with Newark’s Air Traffic Control Team.
As a young freshman, Zach thought of trying something new and applied to join the Newark Air Traffic Control Team. Even though he knew his age might be an obstacle, he was determined to be one of the youngest interns in this program. According to Pilotinstitute.com, many interns that apply for this program are between the ages of 25 -29 making 14-year-old Zach worried about fitting in. Zach shares his experience with Newark’s Air Traffic Control Team saying, “I’m grateful to have been allowed to watch some of the hardest working people in this world perform their jobs right in front of me. It gave me a hands-on experience that would be memorable to me.” Zach was given a fine opportunity to experience first-hand what life as a control tower employee would be like for an entire day.
Ramapo High School offers a unique aviation program experience, where students are given the chance to dive deep into exploring the history of aviation, the physics of flight, the flying environment, and career readiness capstone experiences. This program was created to prepare Ramapo’s next generations to become exceptional pilots in the future. This program also allows future pilots to gain five credits in a CPE-level class. Ramapo’s Direct Supervisor of Science, Mrs. Manzi believes the “AOPA aviation program provides students with a unique learning experience that prepares students to sit for credentialed exams at the end of their course.” The purpose of this four-year program is for students to learn aviation concepts, skills, and understanding. This Air Force program prepares students for written exams leading to industry credentials such as the FAA Private Pilot written exam or the P107 Remote Pilot Certification written exam. This program is meant to encourage students with possible career options in the field of aviation to thrive and exile. (Rih.org)
With the assistance of Ramapo’s aviation program, Zach is on the path to continuing his training in hopes of becoming an Air Traffic Controller. In the meantime, Zach will be attending Muhlenberg College for the next 4 years to play for the school lacrosse team. Zach Herandez has officially commenced creating and planning his future. With great progress being made within 4 years, no one can tell how far he will go to achieve greatness. Great things are planned for Zach if only he’s willing to put in the hard work and dedication.
