"My heart skipped a beat when John and Martha called to congratulate me on winning the scholarship in early March. I was stoked to be riding to SUN ‘n FUN with them in their Falcon. March was filled with exciting opportunities and new doors opening. In addition to winning the NAFI scholarship, immediately after SUN ‘n FUN I was scheduled to attend flight training and begin a new career as a professional pilot! After years of hard work, my dream finally had come true—I was hired by an airline!” said Nobi Buntin of Honolulu, Hawaii, upon being awarded the 2020 NAFI/King Schools Scholarship valued at $18,000, including $5,000 cash and lifetime access to King courses.
Nobi continued, “Little did we know that our lives would change, and the entire world would be forced to deviate from their plans. From previous setbacks, I learned the value of coping with disappointments by continuing to be productive and proactive. My first step was to begin sewing masks and distributing them within my community. We soon realized we could use my piloting skills to distribute masks to the outer islands, given that the barges within Hawaii stopped transporting food and supplies to the outer islands due to the coronavirus. My mentor joined me on several missions, enabling me to get firsthand experience sitting in the right seat as a CFI. She coached me as we delivered masks to the outer islands of Lanai, Molokai, Maui & the Big Island. In the process, I got the invaluable practice I needed to learn to take-off and land from the right seat. I am blessed to be surrounded by so many selfless souls.
Nobi explains “When I wasn’t sewing or delivering masks, I kept up with my aviation studies, enjoying the company of John and Martha as their ground school prepared me for my CFI written exam. Their voices were always reassuring and comforting. Thanks to John and Martha, I took the written exam and passed. Now I can focus on designing my lesson plans following their phenomenal curriculum,” concluded Nobi.
Martha King, Co-Founder of King Schools, said, “Nobi’s dedication to her community and ability to adapt are even more affirmation that we chose the right person to receive this scholarship.” John King added, “It looks like Nobi is having fun, while learning a lot in the middle of a crisis. Nothing about what she is doing is ‘normal’ and that is why she is extraordinary. We look forward to seeing her do great things for many years to come.”
National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) Chairman Robert Meder added, “This is the 5th NAFI/King Schools scholarship and I am happy to announce that NAFI and King Schools will team up for a sixth to be awarded at SUN ‘n FUN 2021. We are thrilled to give our members the opportunity to receive this scholarship and are confident that the next winner will be just as extraordinary as our past winners. Meanwhile, there are many additional benefits NAFI members receive though the King Schools partnership, including free courses.”
The NAFI/King Schools 2021 scholarship application period is now open, and the winner will be announced at SUN ‘n FUN in April 2021. A well deserving National Association of Flight Instructors member CFI or aspiring CFI will be awarded the 2021 NAFI/King Schools Scholarship. The scholarship consists of $5,000 cash for the attainment of an initial or advanced instructor rating and lifetime access to the entire King Schools library of over 90 courses, including FIRCs. The scholarship application deadline is January 4, 2021; details and forms can be found on the King Schools website: https://www.kingschools.com/nafinet/king-schools-nafi-scholarship-information.asp
