By Jessica Schaefer, EAA 1284501
Four teens. One week. And the unbeatable experience of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
They came from different towns, different families, and completely different aviation backgrounds — and somehow, they all ended up in the same place.
David, Logan, Garrett, and Lily found each other at AirVenture’s Camp Scholler, tucked into folding chairs under the stars, somewhere between the roar of jets and the flicker of a campfire.
“Actually,” David grins, “it’s never really that quiet in Camp Scholler.”
Logan, a first-timer, knew no one. “I thought my family and I would be on our own,” he said. “We’d gone to the air show back in Utah, and everyone just stuck to themselves.” As the oldest of four, he was ready for a routine week with his family — until three teens knocked on the camper door.
They were heading to the outdoor movie. No parents, just teens. Did he want to come?
“I thought it would be much more awkward,” he admitted. “But I went, and I had a good time.”
That night, Logan stopped being a stranger.
How did the others meet? It was mostly happenstance, with a little help. David and Lily’s younger siblings hung out first, camped in the same area. “An old guy tried to set me and Garrett up,” says Lily. Garrett laughs, “He’s been one of my family’s customers for years, and he comes over and says, ‘I found another teenager!’”
“Hanging out and doing AirVenture together is definitely the highlight now,” said Garrett.
Garrett has been at AirVenture every year since he was born. “We know people,” he said. “And we always meet more.” Lily nodded. “Everywhere you go, you see someone you know — your camp neighbors, someone from last year, someone from another event. You can always have fun.”
In between the air shows, they wandered the grounds together. They talked to pilots, engineers, and NASA scientists; joined younger siblings for scavenger hunts; and enjoyed group dinners around campfires. “There’s always something going on,” said Lily. “Even when booths are closed, we’re out talking, watching ultralights, seeing the drones practice. You don’t have to plan every minute. You just go, and something happens.”
At Teen Night in the newly opened Charles W. Harris Youth Aviation Center in the Vintage area, teens wrote their names and favorite aircraft on a nametag. “I love the A-10,” Logan said. “And I got so many comments on that choice. I met a guy from Australia — I’d never met anyone from Australia before. We connected over that plane and ended up talking about how different our cultures are. That was fun.”
David recalled his first year: “I was blown away by how big everything was. We’d drive past where all the planes were parked — see hundreds of planes. But now… it doesn’t seem as big.” What’s grown instead is something harder to measure. “At first, the airplanes were the main thing. Now, it’s more about the people.”
David’s family doesn’t have airport connections back home. Oshkosh is their yearly aviation fill. He’s close to earning his Eagle Scout award and is headed to Philmont Scout Ranch next summer to tackle one of Scouting’s toughest treks. “We got a flight simulator because of Oshkosh,” he added. “And I’ve met people here who encourage my other interests, like hiking and backpacking.”
Garrett’s story is different. “My dad’s the manager at our local airport. I’m the one that cuts the grass, paints — I do all kinds of stuff. It’s not a big airport, but there’s still a lot to do.” This summer, he’s headed to Aggie Aviation-Adventure Camp at Utah State University to fly drones, helicopters, and airplanes all week.
Logan’s family traded four walls for wheels last year — Oshkosh was an early stop in their journey as full-time RVers. “My dad is working toward his pilot’s license,” he said. “Before Osh, I didn’t feel like I could have a real conversation with him about aviation. Now we share that interest — it’s brought us closer together.” Logan is taking mechanical engineering classes in high school — studying drones, UAVs, and 3D printing. “I never would have done that before I went to Oshkosh,” he says.
Lily is the local — just 90 minutes away from the field. She’s an active member of EAA Chapter 640 and lives and breathes aviation. A Civil Air Patrol cadet and her squadron’s Cadet Commander, she joined CAP’s Red Ace team this year, serving on the flightline at SUN ‘n FUN. “Having done our own thing at AirVenture made me more confident traveling and interacting with people everywhere I go,” she says.
That confidence is part of what keeps them coming back — along with the sense of belonging.
“You know how many people are there — you know that extreme amount,” said Lily. “But when you’re walking around, it doesn’t feel overwhelming. Except when you’re leaving the night air show — then it’s thousands of people funneling out. That’s overwhelming.”
Still, something about Camp Scholler makes it feel smaller. Personal. Familiar.
“People want to make sure you’re having a good time,” Logan said. “And that you go back with a good experience.”
“If you don’t know somebody,” Lily added, “they’re willing to change that.”
It’s in the campfires, the shared meals, the goofy challenges. Like when Garrett tried — and failed — to lift weights at the Army recruiting tent. “They didn’t tell me they added 300 pounds to it,” he said. “I would’ve done it.” Lily, grinning: “I have video.”
Even a leftover bag of cheese became a conversation starter. “My mom sent me around offering cheese to random people,” Lily laughed. “You can’t keep it long in an ice chest. They were like, ‘You got cheese but no beer?’ — and they still accepted it. Food is always a good way to connect with people.”
AirVenture is full of those moments. “It’s so big,” Garrett said, “but it’s also so small. You want more.”
Logan put it simply: “Now I think of aviation careers, not just because they’re cool — but because of the people. Everyone’s excited to see young people showing interest. They’re willing to explain things. It’s a positive community, and it makes you want to be part of that.”
Would they recommend attending AirVenture?
They didn’t even pause. “We’d absolutely encourage others to go,” the teens said at once.
“You think you’re just going for the airplanes,” David said. “But it’s the people who make you stay.”
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Garrett Lucci, EAA 1069323, age 15, Nashville, Michigan, Hastings Airport 9D9.
Logan Paget, age 16, Syracuse, Utah, currently traveling the Eastern U.S. in truck and trailer.
Lily Schaefer, EAA 1462246, age 15, Wausau, Wisconsin, KAUW.
David Smith, age 16, Whitesburg, Georgia.