AMA News
AVLA/Charles H. Grant Scholarships
Each year the Academy of Model Aeronautics awards Charles Hampson Grant Scholarships to deserving high school seniors who will be pursuing a continuing academic program at an accredited college or university. In 1998 over 40 applications were received and processed by a five‑person selection committee. Applicants were screened and ranked using various criteria, including grade point average, test results, school and community activities, and aeromodeling activities.
Specialized funds supplement the Grant Scholarship program:
- Weak Signals Club donation — $3,500 awarded to the top winner (from proceeds of its annual model expo in Toledo, Ohio).
- Sig Manufacturing, Inc. (Montezuma, Iowa) award — based on need and modeling activity; $2,000 awarded in 1998.
- Tom Hutchinson grant — designated for the individual who exhibits the highest level of Free Flight modeling activity; $1,000 awarded in 1998.
C.H. Grant awards are generated through general funds using a formula based on Academy memberships and donations or memorials designated for that purpose. Other awards represent specific donations by individuals or organizations.
Applications and information regarding scholarships or donations may be obtained from AMA Headquarters, extension 201. Deadline for applications for the 1999 awards is April 30, 1999.
Academy of Model Aeronautics 5151 East Memorial Drive, Muncie, IN 47302
Christopher L. Teke
Christopher L. Teke of Silverthorne, Colorado received a Charles Hampson Grant scholarship of $6,100 for 1998 and was additionally awarded the Weak Signals scholarship of $3,500. He is attending the University of Colorado at Boulder pursuing a degree in civil engineering and is participating in the Air Force ROTC program; he will serve in that branch following graduation.
Chris graduated from Summit High School in May 1998 with a weighted grade point average of 4.02 and an overall academic average of 98.04% for four years, ranking third in his class. He was recognized by the National Honor Society for three years and was on the Spanish Honor Roll. Other honors include the Superintendent’s Honor Roll, Geometry top student award, Estudiante del Mes (Spanish) award, and advanced math awards. He also served as a high school peer counselor.
School activities included playing clarinet in band (second chair), certification as an American Red Cross lifeguard, serving as a camp counselor, and participation on the football, swim, and snowboard teams. Community service and interests included participation with the Summit County Rugby team, the Ski for Light Foundation, Our Lady of Peace Church, scuba diving, and a project building nesting houses for ducks with the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
Chris has been an AMA member since 1990, concentrating on radio control. He has flown models on floats, skids, and wheels and has participated in 11 fly‑in events sponsored by his local club, SPARCS. Many events in Colorado resulted in flights from elevations as high as 12,000 feet. He has also enjoyed the QSAA fly‑in.
Nathan Enders
Nathan Enders of Cazenovia, New York was awarded a Charles Hampson Grant scholarship of $5,300 for 1998. He graduated from Cazenovia High School in June 1998 with a grade point average of 3.876 and ranked fifth in his class. He was recognized by the National Honor Society during his last two years of school and received the RIT/USA Today Quality Cup Medal and the Bausch & Lomb University of Rochester Science Award. He earned a New York State Regents diploma with honors.
School activities included participation in the Cazenovia High School Drama Club and the Chamber Choir, a select group that performed numerous recitals and concerts. In ninth and tenth grades he played Junior Varsity soccer.
Community activity centered on church youth group work and Troop 18 of the Boy Scouts, including food drives, trail construction, and stream cleanup in the Adirondacks. Nathan earned the rank of Eagle Scout on August 16, 1998.
Following the death of his father two years earlier, Nathan helped with family expenses. From 1995 through 1997 he worked at a local newspaper and participated in peer tutoring in math. Since 1998 he has worked 20 hours a week at Cazenovia Greenhouses planting, weeding, installing watering systems, and mixing soil. He has also constructed models for several local modelers since 1996.
Nathan’s modeling experience ranges from Almost‑Ready‑to‑Fly models to electrics, hand‑launched gliders, and sailplanes. Recently he has concentrated on developing his own designs, including scratch‑building and using techniques such as foam cutting and vacuum‑bagging for composite wing construction. At the national contests he competed with his own‑design Apollo in hand‑launch and a Genie (Harley Michaelis plans) with a 144" wingspan that is carbon‑fiber skinned. In the 1997 Electric Nats he competed with a Symphony electric. He is a member of the Voltaires, a club focused on electric flight.
William H. Yarnell
William H. Yarnell of Westchester, California received a Charles H. Grant Scholarship of $3,200 in 1998. He is enrolled at California State University, Long Beach, majoring in aeronautical engineering with the ultimate goal of becoming a commercial airline pilot. He soloed at age 16 and has accumulated 240 hours of flight time in Cessna 150s and 172s, and in a Pitts S‑2B.
William ranked first in his graduating class at St. Bernard’s High School in Playa Del Rey with an unweighted grade point average of 3.933. He was a member of the National Honor Society from 1996 to 1998 and received top mathematics and English department awards, the Gold Comitatus Medal, and the Yale Book Award.
His school and community activities included tutoring group‑home children, participating on a cultural awareness committee, and serving as Director of Fundraising for Rotary Interact (organizing trips to Mexico). Other interests include ice skating, water sports, classical bass guitar, and restoration of classic Volkswagens.
Work experience includes automobile detailing, cashier and island attendant at a service station, and ramp work at Security Aviation at Hawthorne Municipal Airport.
William has been modeling since age 10. At 11 he flew in his first R/C pattern contest and placed fifth in Novice; he was District VII champion in 1993. When time allows he flies a Dr. Jekyll in the Master’s class and enjoys flying radio control helicopters as well as scale and sport models.
“My ultimate goal is to become a commercial airline pilot and this scholarship from the Academy of Model Aeronautics makes that dream one step closer.” Good luck, William!
Elizabeth Ann Mekina
Elizabeth Ann Mekina of Cincinnati, Ohio received the Tom Hutchinson scholarship award of $1,000 in 1998. She is attending Ohio State University and pursuing pre‑veterinary medicine. She graduated from Walnut Hills High School in June 1998 with a 3.16 grade point average.
Elizabeth was a member of the school marching band and served as first chair of the concert band, playing trombone. She participated in Stage Craft, learning all elements of stage production. Since ninth grade she has played on the softball team and was one of three on the varsity team as a 10th grader. She received a Scholar Athlete Award for her participation while maintaining strong academic standing.
Other activities included membership on the Walnut Hills / Procter & Gamble FIRST robotics team that designed and competed with a robot called Eagle One, Girl Scouts, Latin Club, and serving as Class Secretary for Student Government. In Student Government she chaired a committee for the Adopt‑A‑Family program in the area.
Elizabeth developed her work ethic through several jobs ranging from specialized babysitting to bussing tables and working at Office Depot, where she learned many valuable skills. She hopes to continue working part time while in the Columbus, OH area.
Her modeling experience centers on Free Flight. From age five she watched her father build and fly models, later entering a short‑graded contest and winning first place and setting a record as a senior. She earned the Bob Larsh Perpetual Trophy and has competed in a variety of events, including the Nats, for the last six years.
Congratulations to Elizabeth on being presented the Tom Hutchinson award for 1998!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
