Tuskegee Airmen Make Landing At West Valley School
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Members of the Tuskegee Airmen, the elite group who rose above institutional racism and became the preferred escort for bombing missions over Europe during World War II, recently shared their inspiring message with students at Luke Elementary School in Glendale.
The Airmen were joined in the West Valley by the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit, which is a movie theater built inside a 53-foot-long trailer. Luke Elementary students got the chance to watch a short film about the famed pilots' experience and legacy.
Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Charles McGee is 97-years-old. He had an ulterior motive for joining what would become known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
“Really, to be specific and exact, I think I was avoiding the draft,” McGee said. "Because I'd have been drafted, probably been carrying a rifle on the ground. But to get in the air and loop, roll and spin — come back, put your feet on the ground — it was joy to me and so I was happy to be an aviator."
A member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, McGee came to Luke Elementary with the goal to teach kids the four P’s.
“Perceive, prepare, perform, persevere,” McGee said.
The four P’s have a lot in common with a school program called, “Leader In Me.” It teaches students life skills and traits they’ll need as adults.
“(The Tuskegee Airmen) never gave up, and what 'Leader In Me' is really saying is, 'don’t give up,'” said seventh-grader Cassie Johnstone.
The Tuskegee Airmen offer students a real-life example of how they can impact the world, said Molly Garcia, principal of Luke Elementary.
“They’re going to realize this is real,” Garcia said. “This can happen. This can be me. And I think that’s a true aspiration for us as educators to be able to provide those moments for kids that really are life-changing.”
