School assembly with hot air balloon shows Medina students ‘sky is the limit’

Photos courtesy of Jennifer Stearns/Principal of Clifford Wise Intermediate School – Lee Teitsworth, senior vice president at Liberty Balloons in Groveland, brought a hot air balloon to Clifford Wise Intermediate School on Friday and let students go inside it. This group includes fifth- and sixth-graders. Teitsworth also spoke with third- and fourth-graders.

Information courtesy of Medina Central School

MEDINA – Students in grades 3–6 at Clifford Wise Intermediate School celebrated their academic efforts and success for Marking Period 2 on Friday with an unforgettable, sky-high experience.

As part of the celebration, Liberty Balloons visited the school with a presentation – “The Sky Is the Limit” – encouraging students to keep reaching for their goals while learning the science behind hot air ballooning. The interactive program combined motivation with hands-on learning, giving students a closer look at how hot air balloons work and the physics that allow them to soar.

Lee Teitsworth discusses the science behind hot air balloons taking flight.

Students first viewed an informational presentation explaining the principles of hot air balloon flight, including how heated air creates lift and how propane burners are used to control altitude. The excitement continued in the Wise gymnasium, where a real hot air balloon was fully inflated, on its side, indoors. Students were given the rare opportunity to sit inside the balloon, experiencing its size and structure up close.

To complete the experience, students briefly stepped outside—just under five minutes—to safely observe the lighting of the propane flames, a dramatic highlight that brought the science lesson to life.

Remax Reality and the Clifford Wise Student Council sponsored the event. For more information on Liberty Balloons, click here.

These third- and fourth-graders see a brief outdoor presentation.