My name is Jackson Urtz and I am a senior at Leonardtown High School. I am also a second-year engineering student at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center. I have decided to pursue a career in the aerospace engineering field. My father is also an engineer and works for NAVAIR at NAS Pax River. His work inspired me and made me realize I wanted to become an engineer like him. With a proficiency in mathematics, it only seemed right to become an engineer in the footsteps of my father. Additionally, I have been very fond of manipulating and messing with electronics of all kinds since I was very little, and engineering is a great way to channel all of that curiosity for machines and electronics. 

I have always been a naturally talented student. Because of this, opportunities for advanced placement classes have been at my disposal for years. A couple of the classes I have taken advantage of have been a Pre-Calculus dual-enrollment class at the College of Southern Maryland during my sophomore year, and an AP Calculus AB class as well as an AP Language and Composition class during my junior year. Due to my advanced knowledge of mathematics that I demonstrated throughout these courses, I realized that pursuing a career in engineering would be a great choice for me. Currently, I am taking AP Calculus BC, AP Physics I, and AP Computer Science A to improve my understanding of a few of the major engineering components. All of this, on top of the engineering course at the JFCTC, will greatly improve my basic knowledge of engineering even before my first college engineering class. 

My ADHD has motivated me to keep moving my whole life. One of the ways I’ve found peace in the chaos is through sports. I started with baseball, and was upset with the lack of action I received in the outfield. When I tried soccer, I instantly fell in love with the constant involvement and movement on the pitch. Soccer has been practically my whole life since the age of 6. I started at the recreational level and worked my way up to the competitive travel level in the span of 2 years. Throughout the years, I have been learning how to properly manage my time to successfully be both a student and an athlete. However, it has been especially difficult in recent years, where high school sports have 2-hour practices on all weekdays. That is 10+ hours of practice per week while balancing AP classes, a 2-period course at the JFCTC, 2 jobs, and a social life. This has made my time management skills drastically improve. My 4.11 GPA effectively proves that I am more than up to the task and am able to fully commit to the team all the while achieving the best marks possible. Additionally, I have just recently begun working as a lifeguard at the Great Mills Pool. This has added an additional layer of responsibility to my life, causing me to take things such as tardiness, laziness, and a lack of focus very seriously. I am very thankful that I am able to participate in these extracurriculars because I know that they will be a great help on my college and career paths. 

Immediately after graduating, I plan on attending a four-year university. Ideally, I would attend a school with a co-op program so that I might get real work experience before graduating from college. I have not finalized which university I will be attending yet, but the combination of an aerospace engineering degree paired with a chance to play collegiate-level soccer would greatly increase my interest in a university. Studying aerospace engineering in college would give me a much better chance of entering the workforce with a well-paying job, which is why I believe that going to college and earning a master's degree would be the best option for me.

Upon receiving my master's degree in aerospace engineering, I plan on entering the workforce, and possibly even working with my father at NAVAIR. I wish to be important to society, to be a part of something bigger than myself. Although I do not know what I will do to achieve this yet, I know I will make it my priority to make a difference with my knowledge. Working at NAVAIR and designing better-functioning weapons and/or better-functioning aircraft would be a great opportunity to make myself useful in bettering the world. There is nothing more important than the safety of our nation's citizens, which is why working with the Department of Defense through NAVAIR would be a great opportunity for me to feel as though I am truly accomplishing something good for society.