You know what I mean

As the founder and a member of a model aircraft club, I’ve had the privilege of observing up close the personal journeys of countless young people—both within and outside our club. I could talk to you about this for days and nights on end. I’ve always been particularly interested in those who just “got by” in school and came out of it frustrated—those who were thrust out into the world with very little to their name. With minimal self-confidence and hardly any trust in the adult world. I got to know many of them as true “Munggis.” They could barely get a word out. Saying “Hello” and “Goodbye” took time. Their motor gliders usually required sound advice and a helping hand from the adults. But with their first experiences of success—probably their first in years—a gentle change began to take hold. No revolutions, with the usual setbacks, but steady progress. It’s amazing how quickly educational gaps were closed—and even surpassed—through practical experience and insights. As their interest in technical concepts grows—gained through the sometimes complex inner workings of a simple foam model—our young model airplane enthusiasts naturally step into the world of digitalization, smartphone in hand. The latter answers (almost) all questions for the curious and helps with writing short texts. This is not meant to portray our schools in a negative light. “Student-centered schools” are indispensable to our society. Even more important, however, is the school of life. It continually brings out new talents. To me, that’s a great miracle. ■

With collegial regards
, Emil Giezendanner

redaktion@modellflugsport.ch