Bernie “Buzz”

May 3

Habitat for Aviation honored to be featured in Senator Bernie Sanders’ newsletter

Recently, James Paradissis and Meara Seery (now Ms. Vermont!) from Senator Bernie Sanders' team visited Habitat for Aviation for a day to learn about our Women Build Planes program. Their visit was part of an initiative to highlight innovative community projects in Vermont. During their time with us, James and Meara interviewed several of our dedicated builders, capturing the unique stories and experiences of the women and girls who are breaking barriers in the aviation industry. Their visit culminated in a feature in the Bernie Buzz newsletter, which not only showcased our program but also included a four-minute video overviewing our work and mission.

The Bernie Buzz newsletter article, titled "The Sky is the Limit for Habitat for Aviation," beautifully highlighted our efforts to support the next generation of young aviation maintenance technicians and avionics specialists through hands-on apprenticeship opportunities. Senator Sanders praised our organization for teaching new skills, fostering community, and challenging industry norms, especially noting the significance of our Women Build Planes program, which is led entirely by women and girls. The feature underscored the importance of increasing female representation in aviation, with only 5% of pilots and less than 3% of airplane mechanics being women. This spotlight has brought greater attention to our mission and is a testament to the incredible work of our team.

Beth White

Education Possibilitarian, Artist, Writer, Doula, Mentor, Aviatrix, Breast Cancer Survivor, Pilot-in-Command at Habitat for Aviation

In the spring of 2022, Beth White emerged from a 10-month battle with breast cancer with an idea: to create an apprenticeship program at Franklin County State Airport where youth work alongside adult mentors servicing conventional and electric aircraft. A pilot and airplane mechanic apprentice herself, and with family roots in the trades, Habitat for Aviation provides an taxilane for world learning opportunities for youth and adults who love to work with their hands to enter the FAA’s apprenticeship certification track. Each day she puts systems in place that make real John Dewey’s philosophy that we “learn best what we live” – a deep throughline from her time at Antioch University New England and as Regional Director for Big Picture Learning. Each learning experience is grounded in relationships, relevance, and practice. In October, 2023, Habitat for Aviation launched its Women Build Planes program, where an all-female team of Modern Day Rosies is building an airplane at Franklin County Airport, in northwestern Vermont, to show folks everywhere that despite the fact that only 2.6% of airplane mechanics are female, women BUILD, FLY, and FIX airplanes.

Bernie “Buzz”

The Purpose, Power & Promise of Public Education

Habitat for Aviation at BETA’s Hiring Day