Yesterday, we had the opportunity to fly two of Maryland’s hometown heroes — Maria Derisavi and Luke McFadden. Maria Derisavi, the 90th Miss Maryland and a Top 10 semifinalist at the 2026 Miss America competition, has dedicated her time to empowering youth through her “SeizeYourOpportunities” initiative. Through interactive classroom visits and a custom curriculum developed alongside educators, Derisavi shares her own experiences with early setbacks to teach students the importance of SMART goal-setting and resilience, emphasizing that failure is a vital stepping stone to success, aligning closely with the Blue Angels’ mission of inspiring excellence and service. Luke McFadden is a first-generation commercial fisherman on the Chesapeake Bay here in Maryland. He was born and raised in Pasadena, MD and has spent his whole life exploring waters of the local Bay. In 2022, in an effort to connect with the community and build a customer base for selling his seafood directly to the public, ...