ABOVE: Oakwood Grade School fourth grade teacher Tiffany Johnson prepares her BOV Ambassador Class for a Friday morning visit from Balloons Over Vermilion.
This year’s Balloons Over Vermilion at Vermilion Regional Airport is set for July 12th and 13th. But right now, this year’s selected “BOV Ambassador Class” is already learning about not just the event itself, but also the science and mathematics involved in getting a balloon to fly.
Tiffany Johnson’s fourth graders at Oakwood Grade School have this year’s honors. And during a Friday (April 19th) visit by Balloons Over Vermilion representatives, the class demonstrated the artwork they’ve been doing to design their own balloons.
(1st Picture) Brynnlee Chesnut explains her balloon, drawn as a tribute to her cat. (2nd Picture) Teacher Tiffany Johnson assists Michael Weis with showing his balloon design. (3rd Picture) Grady Shepherd explains the motivation for the logo on his balloon.
One of the students, Mallory Cole, said her balloon was motivated by a television show.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: I’ve been having a lot of fun. And I made my balloon about one of my favorite characters from one of my favorite shows. (Which is?) Gravity Falls is the show, and then the character is Bill Cipher.
Greycin Watson says his balloon is all about something he wants to do someday.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: A jet. (Really! Do you want to be a pilot? Or why did you come up with a jet?) Because my dad, he’s a pilot for a helicopter. And I want to go to the Air Force Academy when I’m older.
ABOVE: Balloons Over Vermilion’s Jackie Vinson and Carly Goodwin were in attendance Friday morning to answer BOV questions from Tiffany Johnson’s fourth graders.
For teacher Tiffany Johnson, this has been a chance for her students to expand their daily routine.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: We’re just learning about different balloons, and we’ve created different ones to hang from the ceiling. Next week we’re going to be talking more about STEM; and we’re going to do some activities in the classroom, and talk about those key vocabulary words.
She says, the students probably won’t mind being together into the summer for their BOV duties; because after all, things change after fourth grade.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: This is the last time we’re ever going to be in this group again, because once they get older they’re going to be going to different classrooms. So, this is kind of like our last time we all get together; in the summertime.
The next big event for this year’s BOV Ambassador Class will be on May 2nd; a live demonstration with a real hot air balloon.
