By Toni Gibbons The roar of a 10’ flame filled the air of the brightly colored hot air balloon as it lifted off from the grounds of Snowflake Junior High School on Oct. 12, the day before the first ever White Mountain Balloon Festival in Lakeside. For the students of Michael Eilertsen’s seventh grade science class it was a great day to learn about the science behind the balloon, as they helped pilot Mona Johnson of Tucson roll out the balloon and get it ready for lift off. Eilertsen, who is part of Arizona Rural Activation and Innovation Network (RAIN), a collection of teachers and community members trying to integrate science within the community, said he heard about the White Mountain Balloon Festival, which had been rescheduled for Oct. 13, and contacted event coordinator Tim Matykiewicz. “I asked Tim what it would take to have my students be a part of the event,” noted Eilertsen. “In RAIN we are always looking for ways to create and find community-based science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities that can involve the students,” said Eilertsen. “The idea is to connect the education with experts in the community.” Matykiewicz took Eilertsen’s request seriously, not only finding a willing pilot, but also two sponsors to help fund the event: Black Diamond Auto Glass and Summit Health Care. “The students helped roll out the balloon and do the set up,” said Eilertsen. “Then we watched while it was inflated and talked about the science of hot air balloons. I told the kids you could fit 105,000 basketballs inside Mona’s balloon.” While no one got to ride in the balloon, except for Johnson, for nearly all the students it was a first time experience to see a hot air balloon in action up close and personal. “It is one thing to see a balloon in pictures, but to see it inflated in its full glory, that is a lasting experience,” shared Eilertsen. “The sponsors were very kind to do this for the kids and their willingness to step up makes things like this possible.”
