My wife is an Elementary School Teacher and recruited me to participate in the Great American Teach-in Program at her school last year. The thought of doing a presentation about Financial Planning to Elementary School students was a nightmare at best, so I elected to do a presentation on Soaring instead. I received great support from the SSA (thank you Rhonda Copeland!) who provided me with the excellent Out and Return DVD and some Soaring in America booklets.

The first year I did my presentation to five classes, I think, and it was so well received that they invited me back again this year. Word gets around the school pretty quick and I ended up speaking to fourteen classes this year! The kids really got into it and I think adults would too because the Teachers liked it as well. Here is how I did it:

I showed up dressed in my glider flying clothes with hat, sunglasses, khaki shirt, pants and comfy shoes. I start the presentation by asking how many of the students had ever gone outside, looked up and seen a bird circling overhead without flapping it's wings? Most everyone will raise their hands. I then say that when a bird can fly without flapping it's wings, we call that Soaring. I then ask "how many of you would like to Soar like a bird?" Again, most everyone will raise their hands. I then say "Some people will say that is not possible...it is possible but in order to soar like a bird you need a special kind of flying machine that's called a glider." I then say "Today through the magic of technology we are all going to travel to Warner Springs California and take our very first glider ride together." "Would you like to do that?" The universal response is always a resounding "yes".

I then spend a minute showing them that I have the things I need to go soaring: my Pilots License, Cell phone ...just in case we don't make it back to the airport and we need someone to come and get us, a granola bar ...in case we get hungry and a bottle of water. I then put on my sun glasses and my hat and ask "are you ready to go soaring?" That is usually followed by another resounding "yes" and I start the DVD.

The DVD runs about 20 minutes. If you have not seen it, it starts by driving up to the glider trailer, shows an abbreviated assembly, followed by a short flight and return to Warner Springs. The onboard and glider mounted cameras gives the audience a good taste of what it is like to fly a glider. I really enjoy the landing sequence...I tell them that this is just what it looks like to land a glider. Many of the students have never even seen a glider so the DVD is very interesting to them.

Following the DVD there is time for a few questions...and there are always more questions than the 30 minute class period time frame allows at school. Of course, you would have all the time in the world for Q & A. At the end I give each participant a Soaring in America booklet. These are excellent and contain lots of good information and neat pictures as well.

This is how I have done it. It has been very well received and is a lot of fun too! It may seem kind of corny but, like someone else said, you've got to know your audience and make it interesting and fun for them. If you make it fun and have fun doing it, you will be successful. Good luck and I hope this is helpful to you. Brian Lott