Young pilot awarded for her leadership
A young pilot from Peterborough has earned the top scholarship from a charitable retiree organization.
Kaitlyn Buckborough was awarded the 2018 Don MacLeod Award, recognizing outstanding leadership. It’s given out by the Municipal Retirees Organization Ontario (MROO).
The 19-year-old is entering her second year of the bachelor of aviation technology program at Seneca College’s Peterborough Airport campus.
Buckborough beat out 85 other applicants from across Ontario for the award, which comes with a $5,000 scholarship.
Her sense of community, volunteerism and leadership, which derived from her time in air cadets, garnered her the award.
The recognition came somewhat as a shock for the cheery redhead – she had her sights set on one of the $2,500 scholarships.
“It’s amazing.... I didn’t expect to really be considered for the highest one,” she said.
The MROO program awards scholarships to students – related to MROO members – who’re entering their second year at a Canadian post-secondary institution. Buckborough’s grandfather, Austin Clippperton, is a member.
Buckborough’s love of aviation stemmed from air cadets. She joined when she was 12, staying on until she left for Seneca.
At cadets, Buckborough
looked up to some seniors who were already pilots. They convinced her to go to cadet ground school.
After that, she applied for her glider’s licence.
“As soon as I got that, I fell in
love with flying.”
She then helped teach ground school while training for her private pilot license.
Buckborough earned her that licence at 17 and continued to teach cadets about flying until she left for school.
She attributes her leadership skills to her years in cadets. She worked her way up the ranks to the cadet commander of the squadron.
“Through joining air cadets, I’ve been taught how to fill that role (as a leader),” she said, she couldn’t have gotten there without the help of those around her.
She studied her first year at Seneca at the North York campus and will be at the Peterborough campus for the remaining three years.
When she graduates, she’ll have her commercial pilot’s licence.
Her dream is to work for
Ornge, an air ambulance service that flies people in critical condition to hospital.
“I would love to work for Ornge right now, because it combines my love of flying and also helping people.”
In her final years at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School, Buckborough was torn between studying aviation or becoming doctor.
“Now here I am taking a program to become a commercial pilot.”
And she might just have her aunt to thank for introducing her to her future career. Her aunt was the one to suggest cadets.
“I joined because my aunt said I should join cadets and I should specifically join air cadets because I’d look good in the blue uniform,” she said laughing.