PHOTO: Retired Air Force Col. James C. Hodges, who serves as a liaison officer for the Air Force Academy, presents Mountain Home High School senior Madelyn Smith with a certificate of acceptance into the academy. Smith’s parents, Jason and Stephanie Smith, accompanied her for the presentation.
Madelyn Smith, a Mountain Home High School senior, has been accepted into the United States Air Force Academy.
Smith was introduced to the world of flight during her sophomore year by family friend and flight instructor Garret Stice. According to Smith, it did not take long for her to know that she wanted a career in flying, and she also knew she would need to find a post-secondary institution that could support those dreams.
“After lots of research, my parents and I decided that the Air Force Academy would present the best opportunities for me within that field,” Smith says.
Smith’s goal is to graduate from the academy with an economics degree and eventually fly for the Air Force.
“My future plans involve going into the flight program after I graduate,” she says. “I want to be a tanker pilot because I can fly some of the biggest planes while not necessarily entering the line of fire.”
Smith says the advanced placement track courses at Mountain Home High School, as well as working with the district’s counseling staff, helped prepare her for the academy.
“My academic counselors have been extremely helpful … having lots of insight and experience for any questions I have,” she says. “Throughout my college preparation journey, their expertise made the process easy and efficient.”
The Air Force Academy is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
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