CV-TEC students complete repairs on Honor Flight bus

PLATTSBURGH | Young professionals at CV-TEC have completed important and needed repairs on the North Country Honor Flight bus. The work was done over the past few months with three technical training programs in collaboration: Heavy Equipment and Diesel Mechanics, Automotive Technology, and Automotive Collision. And on Friday, the students presented their fully test-driven, inspected, finished work to veterans. Seniors Logan Hart, from Beekmantown Central School, and Leah Manor, from Northern Adirondack Central, helped refurbish the bus as part of their Heavy Equipment training. "It was fun but challenging," Hart said of the endeavor. "It was an honor to work for our heroes," Manor added. "I've been to a few of the Honor Flight ceremonies. I'm so glad they get the recognition they deserve." The young professionals said it took the better part of four months to go through the entire bus, replacing exhaust systems, wheel bearings, the steering shaft and lighting components in the electrical system, among other repairs. "It was a huge honor for us," Hart said. "I'm very glad we were able to help them." For Hart, the project was special. He has joined the U.S. Air Force and leaves Beekmantown in October to become a bomber mechanic, where he will work on aircraft repairs, on everything, he said, from electrical to engine work. HONOR FLIGHT GRATITUDE About 40 students from the three programs were on hand to give Honor Flight leaders their repaired bus. Honor Flight Executive Director Barrie Finnegan said the trips veterans take to Washington, D.C., each year are funded by donations. "The memorials were built in their honor and they have the right to go see them. A lot of people have a struggle to go see them for different reasons: health, financial. So we were given that hand as it started out." Finnegan outlined how initial trips in 2013 focused on World War II veterans and have since supported Korean War and Vietnam War military men and women. Transitioning to Vietnam War veterans, he said, brought a new kind of tribute to a group warriors who were largely shunned when they came home. They received a very different response than that of veterans returning from World War II and the Korean War. "Vietnam veterans never got that. They were yelled at, screamed at and had things thrown at them," Finnegan said. An Honor Flight can change their lives, he said. "We had one guy who swore up and down, he said, 'I feel like my service never counted'," Finnegan relayed. "He came back from that Honor Flight trip, got off that bus, and put his arms up in the air and said, 'my service counted.'" "We've had family members call and say, 'you would not believe the difference'... when they came back. They now realize it's okay to talk about it. Many of these guys never said a word about it, didn't want to share their stories. Boy, there's some stories." The first Honor Flight of 2026 will begin with a motorcycle escort at 6:15 a.m. on Saturday, May 16. Finnegan encouraged the youth and CV-TEC staff to attend. Two aircraft will depart for a day trip to Washington, D.C. with upwards of 35 veterans and their escorts on board. Finnegan said funds raised for the flights are kept separate and apart from maintenance and upkeep of the Honor Flight bus, which is used primarily to transport veterans from the U.S. Oval ceremony to the airport and back. "As far as CV-TEC, I can't believe what's actually going on," he said, commending the young professionals' work. "They're doing incredible things that it is very tough for Honor Flight to do. We're not in the transportation business. We're not in the car business, we're not in the trailer business. And they're fixing all of these things for us." People donate to Honor Flight to send veterans to Washington, D.C., Finnegan advised. "They don't pay money for us have a bus or a trailer for a parade or a car for shows. We're going to protect that." As Honor Flight discussed how much it would cost to repair the bus, he said, before the meeting ended, the CV-TEC option came forward. And Tanner Baraby, president of the George and Shirley Moore Foundation, paid for the new parts for student mechanics to use. When Honor Flight looked at repairs needed for their bus, Finnegan said they knew that bus was on its last legs. "We've got it roadworthy now," he said. And then Saranac Central School stepped up with a newer bus donation. "It's incredible," he said. "That's a 2017 bus and we've got a lot of life left in it. We're looking forward to that." BUS DONATION FROM SARANAC In addition to repairs on the silver bus, CV-TEC is starting work on a new bus recently donated to North Country Honor Flight from the Saranac Central School District. The bright yellow school bus was parked on a lift beside the podium. Built in 2017, it's a lot newer than the 2003 Honor Flight bus refinished in shiny silver paint. The former Saranac school bus will be repainted and trimmed with Honor Flight decals, Auto Collision Repair instructor Jacoby Richard told the Sun. He said they would paint it whatever color Honor Flight chooses. The young technicians will take on that task when school begins next fall. Saranac Central Superintendent Javier Perez was at the CV-TEC event with Saranac High School Principal Tracy Manor and the district's Transportation Supervisor Benjamin Perry. The donation was officially supported by the School Board, Perez said, as part of an official transfer process. "It was brought to the board to discuss," he said of their unanimous support. "It was a very short discussion." GENUINE IMPACT CV-TEC Learning Hub Principal Mark Brown introduced several of the students who contributed to work done on Honor Flight vehicles. Kobe Harris, an Automotive Tech at CV-TEC from Plattsburgh City High School, said they are also repairing and detailing a new lead car for North Country Honor Flight. "From the brakes and suspension to the tires and transmission, we've each taken every step as serious as we can. With a water pump on the way and a few steps for our auto body service to finish, she'll be done soon. It's an honor to work on this and I would like to thank Honor Flight and everybody else who's given us this opportunity to work with and help these veterans." Noah Johnson, from Peru Central, said working on the Honor Flight bus has been very meaningful. "What I mainly did on the bus was a lot of the wheel bearings and the batteries," he said. "We also set up a future plan with Honor Flight to do preventive maintenance -- oil changes, anything that may need to be fixed with the buses -- to further expand our teamwork. "None of this could be possible without our teacher, Mr. Cassavaugh. Every step of the way he was with us," Johnson added. Heavy Equipment/ Diesel Mechanics Teacher Greg Cassavaugh told The Sun that students truly enjoyed working on the Honor Flight bus. "Very much so. They did very well." Honor Flight personnel on hand included Mike Parsons and Dan Barber. CV-TEC Principal Adam Facteau, CV-TEC Director Michele Friedman, District Superintendent Dr. Mark Davey and Deputy Superintendent Eric Bell also attended the Honor Flight bus presentation. Principal Brown said the young professionals' work is exemplary on many levels. "This collaboration represents exactly what technical education is all about: Students applying their skills in real-world settings to make a genuine impact in their community. "This event is not only a recognition of your hard work and technical expertise," he told the youth, "it's also a celebration of something even bigger: the continued commitment of our community in honoring and supporting our veterans."

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CV-TEC students complete repairs on Honor Flight bus

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