For some students, after-school activities consist of soccer practice, SAT prep, or drivers-ed. But for IHS junior Sughra Methi, after school is spent in the air. At 15 years-old, Methi is on her way to becoming a commercial pilot, spending time flying planes outside of IHS.
“Flying is the best experience I’ve ever had,” said Methi. “It feels like you’re in control of the atmosphere around you. It’s surreal.”
For Methi, flying a plane means more than just being in the air – it signifies a sense of freedom she says she’s dreamt of.
“It’s freeing; I’ve dreamt a lot about being able to do anything you ever wanted, and being able to fly a plane just does that.”
Methi’s dreams of flying a plane lead on into her future. She plans to attend trade school and become hired as a commercial pilot for American Airlines.
According to the Frisco ISD (FISD) website, only around 7% of high school students participate in Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses or programs offered by the district. Making Methi’s goals of pursuing the trade school option less common among her peers.
For Methi, the idea of trade school seems to be disconnected among the student body
“Everyone is worrying about colleges, APs, and all their grades, but when you’re going to a trade school – the most you need is a high school diploma or a GED,” she said. “It feels like there’s a huge disconnect among my peers.”
While trade school may seem like an unpopular option amongst students in FISD, according to Forbes, trade school can help students, “land jobs faster, caters to high demand options, and leads to lower student debts.”
In fact, a report by Business Insider shows that a labor market rise in blue-collar workers, who get their education from trade schools, “could save the US from a recession.”
While the option may seem unpopular, many students a part of the CTE program agree that it could be a reasonable route.
“Even though it’s not something I plan on pursuing and not super popular at this school, the idea of going to trade school seems like a decent option for those who want to pursue it,” says Diya Miriyala, IHS senior who has taken multiple CTE oriented courses in her high school career.
Regardless of their goals, Methi hopes that her journey inspires other students. She believes that through perseverance, anyone’s goals can become a reality.
“A lot of times people think you can’t do something because you have to be a certain type of person. In reality, you can do anything you want as long as you’re willing to go through with what you want to do – the sky’s the limit.”
