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For the past six years, Southwest Airlines Capt. Art George has spoken to St. Joseph School fifth-graders about planes — from how they are capable of flying to why passenger’s ears pop.
He stopped by the Downers Grove school May 2 for an activity that was a little less complicated than aerophysics. Each of the 56 students had constructed and decorated a paper airplane, which they were going to test out for George, who visited the classes three times this year to teach them about airplanes.
He first started participating in Southwest Airline’s Adopt-A-Pilot program several years ago when his daughter was in fifth grade and their family was living in Las Vegas.
“I just enjoyed being around the kids,” George said.
George and his family later moved to suburban Chicago where he maintained his involvement with the Adopt-A-Pilot program at St. Joseph School because his niece was a student at the time.
Student Ben Johnson of Downers Grove said he learned a lot from George’s visits throughout the year.
“The making of the planes was really fun,” Ben said.
George said during the school year, he makes four trips to St. Joseph School, and each visit has a different emphasis.
The topics include career choices, what makes a plane fly, aerospace engineering and physiology, or how the human body reacts to flying in a plane.
The final visit is a round-up of what the students have soaked up, and they had a chance to launch their paper airplanes into the sky in the school’s parking lot. George was the judge of which plane traveled the farthest, who had the most creative “paint job” and the “top gun” contest, where students aimed to hit George with their paper airplane.
George has been a pilot for 31 years and has flown for Southwest Airlines for the past 11 years. He is also a retired Lt. Col. in the U.S. Air Force, where he spent 21 years.
Principal Rita Stasi said she is very impressed with George’s program. She said he gives the students lessons in a variety of subject areas.
“He discusses aeronautical design on a level the students can easily comprehend,” Stasi said. “He ties his lessons not just as a science lesson, but to math. He talks to them about the schedule. They have to convert his schedule into the amount of miles he flies and the amount of hours he’ll be in the plane.”
Stasi said George will return next year through the program to teach the new class of fifth-graders.
For the past six years, Southwest Airlines Capt. Art George has spoken to St. Joseph School fifth-graders about planes — from how they are capable of flying to why passenger’s ears pop.
He stopped by the Downers Grove school May 2 for an activity that was a little less complicated than aerophysics. Each of the 56 students had constructed and decorated a paper airplane, which they were going to test out for George, who visited the classes three times this year to teach them about airplanes.
He first started participating in Southwest Airline’s Adopt-A-Pilot program several years ago when his daughter was in fifth grade and their family was living in Las Vegas.
“I just enjoyed being around the kids,” George said.
George and his family later moved to suburban Chicago where he maintained his involvement with the Adopt-A-Pilot program at St. Joseph School because his niece was a student at the time.
Student Ben Johnson of Downers Grove said he learned a lot from George’s visits throughout the year.
“The making of the planes was really fun,” Ben said.
George said during the school year, he makes four trips to St. Joseph School, and each visit has a different emphasis.
The topics include career choices, what makes a plane fly, aerospace engineering and physiology, or how the human body reacts to flying in a plane.
The final visit is a round-up of what the students have soaked up, and they had a chance to launch their paper airplanes into the sky in the school’s parking lot. George was the judge of which plane traveled the farthest, who had the most creative “paint job” and the “top gun” contest, where students aimed to hit George with their paper airplane.
George has been a pilot for 31 years and has flown for Southwest Airlines for the past 11 years. He is also a retired Lt. Col. in the U.S. Air Force, where he spent 21 years.
Principal Rita Stasi said she is very impressed with George’s program. She said he gives the students lessons in a variety of subject areas.
“He discusses aeronautical design on a level the students can easily comprehend,” Stasi said. “He ties his lessons not just as a science lesson, but to math. He talks to them about the schedule. They have to convert his schedule into the amount of miles he flies and the amount of hours he’ll be in the plane.”
Stasi said George will return next year through the program to teach the new class of fifth-graders.
