On Tuesday, Pajaro Valley High School junior Valeria Melgoza-Ortiz was busy riveting the tail section of an airplane that one day next year will take her into the skies above Watsonville.
Melgoza-Ortiz is one of 22 Pajaro Valley High school students enrolled in the school’s first-of-its-kind Flight, Aerospace, Systems and Technology (FAST) class, a career technical education pathway that allows students to build a fully functional, FAA-approved Van’s RV-12 two-seat airplane from the ground up.
The class was hosting an open-house for the community in the EAA Hangar at Watsonville Municipal Airport, an event attended by elected officials and city dignitaries.
In addition to allowing her to escape the rigid structure of traditional classes, FAST has given her a glimpse into a possible future and cemented her dream of going into mechanics.
“It opened a new pathway for me, a new opportunity,” she said.
The class combines physics, flight principles, atmospheric science and mechanical engineering. It is also an opportunity for young people to see new possibilities for their futures.
“When given the opportunity, students can do whatever they put their minds to,” said instructor Willem Nicklason, a UC Santa Cruz graduate and former teaching assistant.
Nicklason is also an FAA-certified drone pilot and a member of Monterey Bay DART — Drone, Automation and Robotics Technology — another of the project’s sponsors.
Next year, the class will begin installing the engine.
“Optimally, we’ll finish an entire plane every two years,” he said. “It’s really great to learn alongside the students and see everyone build confidence together. You know, taking it step by step.”
Program mentor Scott Williams, a retired firefighter, flight instructor and commercial helicopter pilot, said demand for aviation workers continues to grow across airlines, regional airports, charter companies and flight schools. Federal labor projections show aircraft and avionics technician jobs are expected to grow faster than average through 2034.
PVUSD Superintendent Heather Contreras said the district plans to expand student opportunities in other fast-growing industries, including technology and health care.
“Our eye is on the needs of the workforce, but our priority is to put our students at the forefront, bringing them the opportunities they deserve, to be prepared for and succeed in careers and in life,” she said.
Sophomore Saul Nuñez said he hopes one day to work for Joby Aviation, a company pioneering air taxis.
“I am just so, so surprised we, as high schoolers, get to even touch parts of a plane,” he said.
He said Nicklason has mentored the class as students learned the basics.
“We ran into problems, but we managed, because we were also getting familiar with the tools, the parts,“ Nuñez said. “We were not that confident, but we managed, because the teacher took his time explaining to us everything, the tools, which made me understand.”
That’s the aim of CTE, said Julie Edwards, Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s director of strategic educational options.
“As students have these deep, real-world experiences, they’re connecting their academic learning to real-world opportunities and careers,” she said. “It’s motivating to see and start planning what their futures could really look like.”
Daniel Cuellar Gutierrez said FAST is “hands down, my favorite class,” and meshes with his love for hands-on experiences.
“It’s definitely better than just sitting in a classroom,” he said.
