Elementary students across the district recently welcomed former MCPS student Will Knight (MCHS class of ‘22) as he discussed his three-month experience in Japan through his internship at TG Kentucky.
Knight, a student at the University of Kentucky studying aerospace engineering, met with students at all four of the district’s elementary schools to discuss his experience and answer questions.
Knight said originally he sought out study abroad opportunities through his university but couldn’t quite find the type of opportunity he was looking for. That’s when he reached out to his contacts at TG Kentucky to see if they offered a program that would allow him to travel.
As Knight explained it, the company didn’t have anything like that in place at the time, but because he asked, they created a program like he had envisioned.
“I got the opportunity because I asked for it,” Knight told the students. “You need to ask for opportunities.”
During his presentation, Knight discussed his travels, principles of engineering, even aspects of Japanese culture. Specifically, he discussed kaizen -- the Japanese principle of continuous improvement.
And he encouraged the students to take chances and seek out opportunities emphasizing that those who work hard often receive those opportunities.
“If you put the work in, people will want to help you,” he said.