NAHANT — The Johnson School had an expert kite-maker pay a visit to the school on Tuesday morning to teach students how to design and fly their own kites.
Students gathered inside the cafeteria to hear Glenn Davison, from Chelmsford, who has been running these interactive workshops for over 20 years, walk them through designing, constructing and flying their very own handmade kites, fashioned from pieces of white garbage bags.
“Kites can be beautiful artwork that just happened to have an extra added bonus of flight… and I love visiting schools — this is a great opportunity for them to do artwork that they wouldn’t ordinarily do,” Davison said. “And what’s great is that they’re all going to get the feeling of success from designing it, building it and then flying it… It has the proof of the pudding sort of built right into it.”
For Davison, kites aren’t just another recreational activity — it’s a lifestyle and a means of teaching others. He has traveled across the globe to participate in events and festivals in Taiwan, India, Colombia, Canada, and Poland. “I go to a lot of places to fly kites, and I love it.”
The day began with the kids creating unique patterns or splashes of color to decorate their kites, while Davison talked about different kites around the world, the physics behind them, and the intricacies of designing them just right so that they’re lifted by the pull of the wind.
Superintendent of Schools Rob Liebow shared his excitement for having Davison lead the students through the interactive, hands-on experience.
“I’m just happy that he was able to be here today, it really gives the students something fun to do,” Liebow said.
Once the students had their kites designed and built, they charged outside onto the field by the playground, running and planting themselves on the grass while they watched their creations finally take flight. The sky was nearly cloudless, and the strength of the wind seemed to be just right — and in no time, the air was filled with white diamond-shaped kites hovering under the sun.
