Southern Illinois Students Impress Industry at VertiCon’s Aerospace Maintenance Competition

Nine high school students from across Southern Illinois competed in March at the Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) in Atlanta during VERTICON 2026. They formed three Mentoring Mission/AMPLiFI teams—a major expansion from last year’s single team. All nine students have been taking classes in Airline Maintenance after school at Veterans Airport in Marian, Illinois, facilitated by Mentoring Mission non-profit, based in Chicago.

The classes are free, thanks to a Federal grant secured by Mentoring Mission, which has established many important partnerships within the airline industry. The program introduces students to the General portion of the FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) Mechanic Certification, offering a direct path to jobs, apprenticeships, and further certification in the aviation industry. The students learned about the classes independently through Facebook outreach, demonstrating the unmet demand for hands-on technical pathways outside traditional school systems.

As one of the few high-school-level programs on the AMC competition floor at VERTICON 2026, Mentoring Mission’s AMPLiFI students completed torque wrenching, safety wiring, electrical troubleshooting, and other precision-based events. Their professionalism and focus earned strong praise from industry leaders, according to Carol Valentino-Barry, Executive Director of Mentoring Mission.

Industry Leaders Respond

Kurt Kinder, Vice President of Southwest Airlines, reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to supporting emerging aviation talent:

“Supporting these students is an investment in the future of aviation maintenance. Their enthusiasm, discipline, and curiosity reflect exactly the kind of talent our industry needs.”

Ken MacTiernan, President of the Aerospace Maintenance Council, emphasized the importance of early exposure:

“Every technician starts where these students are—curious, determined, and willing to learn. AMC gives them a real look at the profession, and they rose to the challenge.”

A Pipeline Already Producing Results

Mentoring Mission/AMPLiFI’s industry partnerships continue to expand, creating real opportunities for students:

• Boeing St. Louis — major supporter of Mentoring Mission. One AMPLiFI student earned a Boeing apprenticeship this year

• Delta Air Lines TechOps — provided an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of engine overhaul, component shops, and heavy maintenance

• Southwest Airlines — sponsored the students’ participation in AMC competition for the second year in a row

• United Airlines & FedEx — delivered virtual maintenance sessions

• American Airlines — Chicago mechanic volunteered his day off to teach Weight & Balance

• Civil Air Patrol — provides training space inside their hangar at Veterans Airport

• Military aviation personnel — Army, Air Force, and National Guard career briefings

• General aviation pilots & mechanics — hands-on exposure at Veterans Airport

Student & Parent Voices

“Verticon opened my eyes to all the incredible possibilities in the world of aviation. I never even saw this as a potential career for me until I got to see everything here and got the amazing opportunity to pick up some tools as well as talk to many people in the industry.”

— Kaidyn Sirotzki, Team Captain, AMPLiFI

“I’ve watched my son grow in confidence and purpose. When your kid comes home excited about torque values and safety wire, you know something real is happening.”

— Mark Thompson Jr., Parent Presenter

AMPLiFI at VERTICON

Carol Valentino-Barry was also invited to share the Mentoring Mission/AMPLiFI model during a VERTICON session featuring students, parents, and industry mentors. The panel included Honorable John Goglia, President of the Aerospace Maintenance Council, National Aviation Hall of Fame Class of 2025, and the first FAA-certified aircraft maintenance technician appointed to the NTSB.

About Mentoring Mission:

Carol Valentino-Barry, a freelance educator from Chicago, Illinois, established Mentoring Mission after a career in business followed by many years in secondary education. Mentoring Mission projects bring together business and education in partnerships that help students recognize opportunities for their future life achievements. She has worked with schools and mentors in Illinois, New Jersey, Wisconsin, California and Istanbul,Turkey and has created a network of graduates from Harvard Business School, among others, for support. The latest initiative of Mentoring Mission – Project AMPLiFY - is to open the door to opportunities for high school students to learn aviation maintenance. The growing need for qualified technicians in this industry presents a perfect opportunity for a partnership between aviation and education. The website is www.mentoringmission.org.

# # #