By: Kiana Madrigal
Kervin Plua’s story didn’t truly begin until his junior year at Wallenpaupack. Mr. Greenberger, who taught computer courses, approached Kervin and a few of his classmates with an idea for an aviation club, with the ultimate goal of turning it into a full program. They were immediately excited and encouraged him to pursue it, and within weeks, the club was in action. The aviation club grew over the months, and so did the opportunities that Kervin would experience. He made connections with the aviation community, viewed career fields he’d never thought he’d see, and received support and donations from people who wanted to see the program grow.
At the same time, Dr. Mark Watson’s automotive classes helped Kervin develop hands-on skills and expand his technical knowledge. With Watson’s guidance, Kervin competed in two automotive competitions, placing first in both. This earned him a full ride to the Universal Technical Institute (Houston, Texas) for their A&P program (Airframe and Powerplant program for aircraft mechanics), along with substantial financial aid for living expenses.
Back in aviation, the program continued to grow. With mentorship from an A&P professional, Kervin learned how to work on aircraft the correct way. By his senior year, the aviation program had become a full-fledged class, hosting its first official students.
Leaving home was difficult for Kervin, but in the long run, it was the best decision he ever made. The 18-month program fully prepared Kervin for his career in aviation and just a few months after graduation, he received a call from a recruiter at SpaceX asking if he had time for an interview.
Kervin has been working at SpaceX for the past eight months as a Falcon 9 Refurb Tech. They focus on refurbishing the Falcon 9 Rocket and fairings to prepare them for their next missions. Kervin says the most incredible part of his job is watching the rockets launch. “Working on them is cool and surreal but when we launch the rockets and you firsthand get to see something you worked on takeoff like that, that realization and feel are incomparable to anything else.”
Kervin believes he wouldn’t be where he is today without Wallenpaupack’s aviation and automotive programs. The automotive program sparked his love for hands-on work, while the aviation club introduced him to the aerospace industry and made him realize that’s what he wanted to do after high school. Refurbing a Cessna, creating flying simulators, and getting to meet the aviation community gave Kervin a love and drive to pursue an aviation career.
Kervin would like to give thanks to the three main people who helped him get to where he is today: Eric Greenberger, Doc Watson, and Christina DeCola. They guided him into making the right choices, believed in him, and made him into the person he is now. Their support made all the difference, and he hopes current students can find mentors who can inspire them just as he was.
