Nine local high school seniors visited NADEP Cherry Point Jan. 30 as part of National Groundhog Shadow Day. The students were formally welcomed by commanding officer Col. Eugene Conti and viewed a short film that gave them an overview of the depot’s fleet support mission. Then, they were paired with mentors from around the depot depending on their occupational interests.

The students received a tour of the depot and had the opportunity to shadow their mentors through a typical day on the job. The experience enabled them to see how the skills they learn in school apply to the workplace.

One of the students, Havelock High Scholl senior Cheryl Smith, has been accepted into the engineering program at NC State. She starts college in the fall and says she is leaning toward aeronautical engineering.

“I know that I want to be an engineer,” Smith said, “but I’m not sure what area of engineering I want to pursue. I’m leaning toward aeronautical engineering, and I thought that coming here today might help me to make the decision.”

Photo caption: NADEP Cherry Point Structural Engineer Greg Sabin gives Havelock High School senior Cheryl Smith a pre-flight check in the cockpit of an AV-8 Harrier in Hangar 4224 at the depot Jan. 30. (Photo by Gary Rice)