Mason Cox heads into a southern breeze with his airplane kite during F.E. Burleson Elementary School’s Kite Day on Monday. | Clif Knight

FEB students keep tradition going spreading wings of their kites

A tradition of spending PE time outdoors flying kites was carried on at F.E. Burleson Elementary School on Monday thanks to sunshine, a light breeze and a dark blue sky.

It didn’t seen to matter that the event was postponed three days earlier due to inclement weather.

“They were disappointed that they didn’t get to go outside on Friday but they‘re making up for it today,” said PE teacher Sherry Harrison, as she pointed in the direction of a wave of fourth graders running with kites in tow.

“The weather’s perfect today and the students are having a wonderful time,” she explained. “They’ll have 50 minutes of kite flying and then this class and the fifth grade will come back out later and help kindergarten and first graders fly their kites.”

Along with a few kites that went airborne with ease and floated majestically high above the schoolhouse and the Bradford Pear trees alongside Bethel Road, many more crashed to the ground and had to be rescued. One of the kites sailed over the pear trees and drifted in the path of traffic on Bethel Road. It was caught on the bed of a pickup and dipped and bobbed helplessly while the kite’s owner starred in disbelief.

The kites came in all sizes, shapes and colors and had long tails. Butterflies, birds, airplanes, and super heroes such as Batman and Superman were popular designs.