Paper airplanes soared at VBCPS this past week.
Fifth graders accepted a paper airplane challenge presented by Aarron Deliu — an aerobatic pilot performing in the Naval Air Station(NAS) Oceana Air Show.
“I want the kids to be engaged,” Deliu said. “They need to see that even through failure, success is possible.”
Students collaborated to make paper airplanes. Some were designed to fly as far as possible, and others were judged on artistic design.
Deliu and several Navy aviators recently visited Ocean Lakes, White Oaks, Holland, John B. Dey, Hermitage, Shelton Park and Thoroughgood elementary schools.
They will entertain approximately 5,000 beach public schools’ fifth graders during their Sept. 18 STEM field trip to the air show.
Lessons in perseverance
Deliu, who is Australian, will soon become an American citizen. He shared with students how he had no confidence when he was their age.
“I didn’t think I could be anything special,” he told them. Deliu said he needed to believe in himself.
At about the age of 14, he attended a career day and met a pilot. Everything changed, he said. He set a goal and worked hard.
“Strength for me is to find out if you can get back up after failing,” Deliu told them. “You will stumble but get back up!”
Navy pilots share their journeys
Fellow air show performers U.S. Navy F-18 Super Hornet pilots Lt. Cmdr. Steven Nicklaus and Lt. Cmdr. Marty Wilson joined Deliu at Ocean Lakes Elementary.
They also shared stories about their paths to becoming pilots and how they overcame obstacles.
Lt. Cmdr. Marty Wilson said he became interested in airplanes after seeing planes fly during a childhood visit to Virginia Beach.
He emphasized Deliu’s advice, to get back up and try again if at first you don’t succeed.
“I learned from lots of mistakes,” he said.
Lt. Cmdr. Nicklaus emphasized the importance of “bouncing back, picking up yourself and carrying on.”
He also gave students fair warning for the air show. “It’s going to be loud, and it’s going to be fast.”
Curious students look ahead to the air show
Students had lots of questions, especially about Deliu and how he spins and flies his aircraft upside down. They were amazed to learn that the F-18 pilots can fly up to 1,500 miles per hour.
When asked what g-force(gravitational force) felt like, Deliu said that accelerating quickly in the plane makes him sometimes feel like he weighs as much as an elephant.
The aviators took photos with students and congratulated them on participating in the paper airplane challenge. Some of the winners will be treated to a special pilot “meet and greet” at the air show.
Teamwork leads to success
A team of four from Thoroughgood Elementary – who named themselves the “herons,” proudly showed off their paper plane, which took top honors at their school by flying approximately 15 meters.
Team leader Lucy Daniels said they worked together in trial and error to achieve their goal. “It was amazing and really fun,” said Parker Kennedy. “We made some mistakes and we fixed them.”
Connecting classroom learning to real life
VBCPS Elementary Science Coordinator Nancye Flinn said the paper airplane challenge was a fun way for students to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom.
Shelton Park Elementary principal Sara Mendez applauded the challenge.
“The activity engaged all the students, brought in elements of the force and motion unit as well as the engineering design process,” she said.
Flinn also said that hearing from the aviators helped students realize their dreams can come true.
Ocean Lakes fifth grader Hector Oliveira said he loves science and might want to be a teacher when he grows up. He said the aviators taught him that “practice makes perfect” and that it’s OK to fail.
“Students can see people who, in their eyes, are heroes and learn their journey of how they persevered,” Flinn said.
More fun for fifth graders: Through Oct. 31(excluding 9/20, 27 & 10/11), VBCPS fifth graders can get FREE admission to the Military Aviation Museum, 1341 Princess Anne Road, with a parent’s/guardian’s paid admission. Students’ grade level in ParentVUE should be shown at the admissions desk.
