Mays Jr. graduates from Air Force Academy
Tells of experience as African-American
So it all started at my high school, Wooddale.
I didn’t know much about the aviation program at Wooddale. Also it is the only high school in Tennessee with an aviation program. Again, I didn’t know much about it but it was apart of the honors/optional program at Wooddale, which I was in. Every year Wooddale hosted a seminar where FedEx pilots came and talked about their job as a pilot and livelihood and from there I was hooked on attempting to become a pilot. Especially when the words “six digit salary” came out their mouths.
However, what convinced me that the Air Force Academy was the way to go was, literally, was that all of the pilots that spoke to us seemed to be from Air Force Academy. From that point on it was the only school I wanted to go to.
So I signed up to get involved with Wooddale’s aviation program and had the chance to earn my private’s pilot license free of charge with the help of my high school mentor, Jeff Holmes.
He played a major role in my decision to strive for the Academy. Once the application process began it was a “bumpy ride.” The Academy is such a prestigious institution and very competitive and difficult place to get accepted into. I didn’t think I was qualified with my low test scores,
but I decided to apply and give it a try regardless. Of course, I was denied. However, I had a little skill in basketball and with the help of Coach Birdie at Southwest Community College, I was able to get basketball scholarship offer from the Academy. So after being denied in March, I found out in May that I got one more shot at fulfilling my dreams of going to the Academy.
The Academy gave me my highest “highs” and lowest “lows” but I am so appreciative of what it did for my family, friends, myself, Wooddale, and hopefully the city of Memphis.
It opened my eyes to a whole new world outside of Memphis. I was not apart of the majority race anymore. Unlike Wooddale, being an African-American, I was a minority now. I always tell friends and family how it was such a huge culture shock once I got there. I could count on one hand how many Caucasians students there were in my high school and now it was vice versa. I couldn’t count on one hand how many African-Americans there were at the Academy, but it was obvious there weren’t many.
However, being there helped me diversify my way of life and mentality. Additionally, I got to travel all around the United States and also different countries. I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane (sky diving) six times (five by myself) and I got the chance to fly a plane by myself. I competed at a national level in boxing and placed third in the nation. I learned how to survive in the wilderness without food and won the honors of “Male Athlete of the Year.”
So I’d be lying if I said that the Academy did nothing for me. It’s a rough time there with our busy schedules and rigorous academics but it’s all worth it in the end.
And to finish off my time at the Academy, I got to meet and shake the hand of the most powerful man on earth, the honorable President Barack Obama.
Lastly, even though I wasn’t academically competitive at the Academy I never made anything below a C during my time at the Academy.
So I’d like to thank my mom, dad, sisters, other family and friends, and the city of Memphis for giving me such a strong supportive foundation that helped me wake up and make a difference. I hope I made everyone proud and prayerfully, I hope I am an example for young aspiring in-city youth that anything is possible no matter their race, gender, or background.