American Airpower Museum is partnering with the Nassau BOCES Joseph M. Barry Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center, offering internships for local high school students pursuing various careers in aviation. One example is the current internship program for Aviation Operations Teacher Evan Damadeo’s afternoon classes of graduating seniors.
Mr. Damadeo’s students intern every Thursday and Friday afternoon for a full year at the American Airpower Museum (AAM) at Republic Airport. His students are responsible for maintaining the Museum’s military aircraft by cleaning and waxing them. They also learn about aircraft mechanical systems and aviation history while working at the Museum. Barry Tech’s industry partner Lawrence Starr, Museum Manager, has mentored Barry Tech high school student interns at AAM for 10 years!
Mr. Damadeo graduated with a Bachelor of Aeronautical Science Degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he obtained his Commercial Single and Multi-Engine Instrument Airplane Rating, plus a Certified Flight Instructor-Instrument while completing college. He is also Chief Flight Instructor and General Manager of a local Fixed Based Operator located on Long Island since 2015.
Shown in the attached photograph are (Left to Right) student interns Dylan McConn (Port Washington UFSD), student intern Ashton Heeralal (Valley Stream CHSD), American Airpower Museum Volunteer Steve Korin, student intern Liam Reynolds (Oceanside UFSD), and student intern Alex Rosenkrantz (East Meadow UFSD). They are standing in front of the Museum’s WWII Douglass B-25 Mitchell Bomber.
Other Barry Tech courses prepare students for the Federal Aviation Administration Private Pilot Written Exam, plus provide aircraft flight training that can be credited toward a Private Pilot License. Some students supplement their flight training at Republic Airport with private lessons, enabling them to complete their first solo flight and earn their Private Pilot License while still in high school!
Barry Tech of Westbury is a CTE center for 11th and 12th-grade students from Nassau schools. Aside from Aviation Operations, other internships cover Automotive Repair, Carpentry, Computers, Cosmetology, Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts, Dental Assistant, Fashion Design, HVAC/Plumbing, Law Enforcement, and Nursing, among others. After a two-year internship, students receive certificates and pursue part and/or full-time jobs, or even college, based on their excellent Barry Tech educational experience.
If you are a business that would like to partner with Barry Tech, take their students as interns, or hire them, please contact Lauren Engels, Work-Based Learning Coordinator, at (516) 622-6864 and/or email lengels@nasboces.org. If your son/daughter is interested in attending one of Barry Tech’s career and technical education CTE programs, please have them speak with their High School Guidance Counselor for more information.
