Students at Southwest Elementary School in Tilton got to see a hot air balloon…up close…Wednesday as they climbed inside a colorful balloon envelope. Pilot Donna Carlton Vish and her crew did a cold inflation of her balloon – Sunnyside Up – in the school’s gymnasium.
Michelle Esteppe is a third grade teacher at the school and her class was earlier picked as this year’s Ambassadors for Balloons Over Vermilion. Esteppe says the class got to design this year’s shirts for the event, and has been preparing for July’s event in other ways…
Pilot Donna Carlton Vish gave the students a lesson on hot air ballooning during Wednesday’s event. She noted it was the mayor of a town in France in the 1700’s who flew first in a hot air balloon. Students were also told there is enough room in Vish’s Sunnyside Up balloon that 80,000 basketballs would fit inside.
[These students from Michelle Esteppe’s class are the Official Ambassadors for this year’s Balloons Over Vermilion. Note: You can click on the photos to enlarge them.]
[Pilot Donna Carlton Vish speaks to students Wednesday at Southwest Elementary School.]
Balloons Over Vermilion will be held July 12th and 13th at the Vermilion Regional Airport.
