Superintendent Spotlight: Bruce Kovler

Aviation and music might seem worlds apart, but for Warwick Valley High School junior Bruce Kovler, they are driven by the same feeling.

“It really feels like you’re floating,” Bruce said. “The feeling I had the first time I flew is the same one I felt on stage.”

By day, Bruce is immersed in flight training as part of the aviation program at Orange-Ulster BOCES Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC), working toward his private pilot’s license.

At Warwick Valley, Bruce brings that same energy to Rock Club, one of the school’s newest student organizations, which he leads during lunch and after school.

Rock Club, advised by teacher Eduardo Avila, is a student-led group for musicians of all levels and has been taking off across the school community.

Created this year, the club offers a space for rock-loving students at different points in their musical journey. Some are just starting out, others play casually outside of school, and some are looking for more time to collaborate and perform. The group meets three times a week to rehearse, share ideas, and prepare for performances.

CTEC visit inspires path to aviation

Bruce’s path into aviation began during a sophomore visit to CTEC, when students explored different programs. He considered culinary at first but changed direction after stepping into a flight simulator.

“They had the simulators on and ready to use,” he said. “I tried it, and I was like, this is what I want to do.”

After a competitive application process, he was accepted into the program and has since begun logging flight hours toward certification.

He describes his first time in the cockpit as both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. The aircraft, a compact two-seat Diamond DA20, left little room to settle in, and the anticipation was hard to ignore. But once the plane lifted off the runway, everything changed.

“It was definitely a bit scary,” he said. “But at the same time, it’s kind of freeing. You’re up there, and it almost feels like you’re a bird.”

While aviation remains a focus, Bruce is also considering paths in business and finance, with an interest in entrepreneurship, while continuing to make space for music.

Rockin’ since sophomore year

Music entered the picture more recently but quickly became part of his routine.

He first picked up the guitar during his sophomore year in a general music class, where it was one unit within a broader course. While others moved on, Bruce kept playing.

“I couldn’t get enough,” he said. “I was coming to the music room every day during lunch, just playing and trying to get better.”

Within a few months, his parents surprised him with his first guitar, which he named “Baby Blue.” Practice became part of his daily routine, and his confidence grew with it.

As he spent more time playing, the idea of building something around it started to take shape.

“I thought, out of all the students in this school, there had to be other kids who wanted to do this, too,” he said. “I wanted to create a place where people could play together.”

Cue Rock Club.

Backed by friends, family, and Warwick Valley staff, Bruce spearheaded the club’s development, overseeing key components such as concept planning, logo design, securing a faculty advisor, and managing the approval process.

With everything set in motion, Rock Club was ready for take off by early October. At the club fair, he set up a display, brought his guitar, and gave a live performance of rock classics – from Foo Fighters to Zeppelin – to draw interest.

“I had a sign-up sheet with 15 spaces,” he said. “I thought maybe I’d get less than that. I ended up with 32 signatures.”

The club launched shortly thereafter and now has about 12 consistent members who play guitar, bass, or drums, or sing, who come together to rehearse and prepare for performances.

Bruce says the most rewarding part is the people involved.

“One of our bass players told me that if it wasn’t for Rock Club, he wouldn’t even be playing,” he said. “That really stuck with me.”

The group performed at the school’s Grammys event in February after a few weeks of preparation, selecting “Before You Accused Me” by Eric Clapton and working through the arrangement together.

When the performance began, the nerves were there, but they didn’t last.

“We stepped on stage, and once we started playing, it was just... amazing,” Bruce said. “It felt like we were all just levitating.”

Rock Club may be just getting started, but Bruce is already looking ahead. He hopes to expand the club’s equipment, organize fundraising efforts, and find the next student leaders ready to take the mic and keep the club going after he graduates.

“I really want to see it continue after I graduate,” he said. “That’s the goal.”

In both the cockpit and on stage, it comes back to the same feeling.

“You’re just up there,” he said. “And it feels like you’re flying.”