BOSTON – If you want to learn a lesson in courage and going after a dream, look no further than 17-year-old Fahad Yasin. He’s part of the STEM Aviation program at the Jeremiah E. Burke High School in Boston. Now, he’s the program’s first student to take flight. 

“When I was younger, I really wanted to fly, but I never had the opportunity to do it. But now I can, so I’m going to do it,” Yasin smiled.  

Yasin has been part of Burke’s Pathways Program since September. For the past nine months, Yasin’s been taking aviation classes twice a week. On Tuesday, it was time for the real thing. Yasin took off from Norwood Memorial Airport with family and school officials cheering him on all the way. He  was calm and cool in the cockpit. “You feel the motion. You feel the wind. You feel the plane shake under turbulence,” Yasin said. He flew for about 45 minutes – over Gillette Stadium and back. 

And after a comprehensive safety check with his instructor Harry Scales, it was engine start and skies the limit.  

“This is something awesome. The program is doing exactly what it was intendent to do – exactly. It’s getting the kids from the classroom doing simulation into the aircraft,” Burke Stem Aviation Program Director Marcus James said.

“The goal of these programs is to help students connect with what they are passionate about and hopefully help them develop skills within those passions and help them decide what to do after high school,” Burke High School Career Pathways Coordinator Jennifer Lillis said.

 After a perfect landing, there is no question what Yasin wants to become. “It was surreal. It’s something else. My favorite part about it was when you take off, there’s nothing underneath you – just you, the plane and everything else became small,” Yasin said. He hopes to get his pilot’s license and work for a commercial airline.

He hopes his classmates also follow his lead. “It does take a lot of work, but if you really want to do it, there is nothing stopping you. The opportunity is right there – just go for it. The hardest part is starting it,” he smiled. 

The Boston school district says it hopes to expand the Aviation program to other schools so more students can be exposed to careers in aviation. 

Calling all music festival fans, you better be going to Boston Calling Music Festival this weekend.

The Boston-based music festival will take place over Memorial Day weekend from May 24-26 at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Boston, Mass.

Some of the music industry’s biggest artists and bands will be headlining, such as Ed Sheeran, Reneé Rapp and Young The Giant.

The festival will have four stages for artists to perform on, art fixtures, and even a 100-foot Ferris wheel.

Plus there will be over 30 local food vendors where festival goers can enjoy all types of cuisine from New England lobster rolls to southern BBQ.

You shouldn’t miss out on this festival, so here is how you can get last-minute tickets.

Who are the headliners for the Boston Calling Music Festival?

The fan-favorite artists who are headlining the music festival are Ed Sheeran, Leon Bridges, Tyler Childers, Trey Anastasio & Classic Tab, The Killers and Hozier.

There are also a wide variety of artists performing at the Boston festival, including Reneé Rapp, Young The Giant, Luke Hemmimgs, Khruangbin, Megan Thee Stallion, The Revivalists and so many others.

Where can I buy Boston Calling Music Festival Tickets?

Music festival fans can find tickets for Boston Calling on the festival website, as well as StubHub, Vivid Seats, TicketCity and SeatGeek.

First-time Vivid Seats users can save $20 on ticket orders over $200 with promo code NJ20 at checkout.

TicketCity users can save $15 on orders over $400 using promo code TCITYSAVE15 at checkout.

The complete artist lineup for the Boston Calling Music Festival is available here.

Upcoming festivals in 2024

The Boston Calling Music Festival is not the only music event to look forward.

Here is a list of upcoming festivals you do not want to miss: Barefoot Country Music Festival, Governors Ball Music Festival, Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and Sad Summer Festival.

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Nicole Iuzzolino can be reached at niuzzolino@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips.

On Tuesday evening, the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers will play Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Massachusetts.

For the game, the Celtics will officially be without Kristaps Porzingis.

The 2018 NBA All-Star has missed each of the previous six games, so this will be his seventh straight out of the starting lineup.

Via Zack Cox of NESN: “The Celtics officially ruled out Kristaps Porzingis for Game 1 tomorrow night. Seventh straight DNP for him.

Joe Mazzulla today said Porzingis is “working really hard to come back as fast as he can” but wasn’t ready to begin practicing with the team.”

The Celtics did not have Porzingis in their second round series with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but they were still able to win in just five games.

He is in his first year with the Celtics, and finished the regular season with averages of 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.9 blocks per contest while shooting 51.6% from the field and 37.5% from the three-point range in 57 games.

They are the first seed in the Eastern Conference and had the best record in the NBA (64-18).

As for the Pacers, they beat the New York Knicks in the second round (in seven games).

Whoever wins the series will advance to the NBA Finals and face off against either the Dallas Mavericks or the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

That series will begin on Wednesday evening in Minnesota.

Porzingis is in his ninth season in the NBA and has also spent time with the Wizards, Mavs and Knicks.