Relations Fly for Airport, School

The Kester Avenue Elementary School student body experienced a collective thrill in December when Santa Claus landed a helicopter on the school playground, carrying as passengers elves bearing small gifts.

School administrators and Van Nuys Airport staff also were amazed to be able to cut through the bureaucratic red tape involved in orchestrating such an event on school property, said Kester Avenue Principal William Fukuhara.

Van Nuys Airport adopted Kester 3 years ago as part of the Los Angeles school system’s Adopt-a-School program, which is designed to bring together community businesses and local schools. Since then, the airport has contributed to the purchase of educational programs at the school; planned assemblies such as a career day with guest appearances by a weatherman, a traffic reporter and others; held student awards programs, and conducted field trips to the airport.

Once a month, about 20 fourth- to sixth-grade students take a Saturday field trip with their parents and a representative from the school to explore part of the airport, such as the control tower or runway. Students pursue assignments that include everything from making airplanes to describing how flight occurs, said Fukuhara.