Flying high

NEA Today, May 1999

what do the Wright brothers and Pat Schultheis's students have in common? They both set records in the field of aviation.

The Wright brothers were the first, but the students at Haverhill Elementary School are the youngest in history to build an airplane that can carry a person.

Schultheis, a retired physical education teacher from Portage, Michigan, set his sights high for his students-1,400 feet high to be exact Schultheis knew he and his students would make history on April 1, 1998, when he successfully soared in the 17-foot long, 250-pound Phantom X1 ultralight aircraft his students built.

On that day, the students listened intently to the school's PA system, as Schultheis's live account of the flight via cell phone was broadcast. "It was really exciting," Schultheis says. "The kids went nuts:'

A contest was held to determine a color and wing-pattern design for the plane. More than 350 kids at the school submitted ideas. The top choice was selected by a committee of 20 students.

The plane. better known as Child's Play, was assembled four times in five months, a move that enabled all 130 interested students to have an opportunity to participate.

Schultheis, who has been flying ultralight planes for 16 years, supervised the kids before and after school and during recess, so that the project wouldn't interfere with class time.

The kids were very disciplined." Schultheis says. "If I was late in the morning, the students were there waiting for me, ready to get to work."

The plane has won two national aviation awards. Schultheis is now trying to get other schools involved in similar projects. If you're interested. call Schultheis at 616/375-0505 or Fax him at 616/375-0551.