Out of thousands of applicants, only a select few are chosen to attend the Air Force Academy’s prestigious summer seminar. When Senior Ayden Pardo first glimpsed the rugged peaks of the Colorado Rockies from the Air Force Academy’s campus, he realized his summer was about to transform. For him, the Academy’s summer seminar was not just a program, but a glimpse into a future he had long dreamed of. 

The Air Force Academy summer seminar is a four-day program where you go to the Air Force Academy, and you experience exactly what it’s like to be a student there. From living in cadet dormitories to dining in the cadet facility, Pardo got to experience the Academy’s daily routine. Throughout the seminar, he engaged in a series of workshops, explored academic facilities, and even got hands-on with various activities.

Ayden, along with 40 other students, were assigned to Delta Flight, one of the eight groups that took part in the seminar. “Each group had a senior leader who was an actual cadet,” he explains. 

The days were packed with tours and activities that showcased the Academy’s extensive facilities. “We got to see everything from the library to the swimming hall to the airfield and the famous Mitchell Hall,” he recalls. The highlight for many was the fitness competition, where Ayden emerged victorious in a grueling push-up contest. “We did push-ups on command, and at the end, everyone was cheering. I fell eventually, but I beat the other guy by a couple of seconds,” he proudly recounts.

The seminar was more than just physical endurance; it was also a chance to connect with like-minded people. While Ayden recalled his many favorite parts of the seminar, his smile grew when mentioning the new people he met along the way. “Everyone is from a different state, so you get to see their different life experiences. I now know people from New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, and so on. What I really loved that helped bond us was that everyone was there for one thing: to serve in the Air Force.”

Outside the Air Force facility, sprawling football fields, trails, and airfields are incorporated into the beautiful Colorado landscape. Jets and planes were majestically displayed on the airfield, leaving nothing to one’s imagination to what they looked like in action. Pardo favored one above the rest, the A-10 Warthog, with a rich history engraved into the Air Force Academy. “The inventor of the A-10 Warthog is actually a professor at the academy.” Pardo excitedly exclaimed, “he [works] right next to the subsonic wind tunnel.” 

After the exciting and eventful first night, Pardo sat down and took it all in, the facility and the Colorado landscape. As he breathed it all in, one thing became crystal clear to him. “I am going to go here.” 

Throughout the seminar, Ayden’s commitment to his goal was unwavering. “I pray every night that I get the opportunity to go there, and if I do, I will serve my country.”