For four weeks the students in Rod DaSilva’s fifth grade class at Garden City Elementary were given a special presentation from “Pilot Paul” from Southwest airlines.

The presentation is part of the Southwest airlines’ “Adopt a Pilot” program. Paul Grenon, a.k.a. “Pilot Paul,” is a 10-year Southwest Airlines pilot who resides in Rhode Island.

In schools across the country, students in more than 1,500 other classrooms are having the same experience as Mr. DaSilva’s class.

As part of the program, pilots speak to the students about potential career choices and help to further develop life skills, while reinforcing the importance of staying in school.

The fifth graders in DaSilva’s class have been completing tasks in the Adopt A Pilot student workbook. These have included tracking Grenon’s work trips throughout the four-week sessions using maps and mileage charts and exploring the scientific process necessary to fly an airplane.

Students were also asked to get in touch with their creative sides by designing a tie as part of a Southwest Airlines ‘Adopt A Pilot’ program contest. All pilots will wear the winning design for the year.

The big focus of Grenon’s visit was based around the six core AAP values. They are anagrammed flight, fearlessness, leadership, imagination, gratitude, honesty and tenacity.

‘Pilot Paul’ asked the students to give examples of each of these values.

“When my wife went away, and it was just my son and me at home, I became very grateful, very quickly, of everything she takes care of at home,” he gave as an example of gratitude.

One of the things “Pilot Paul” told the class was how hard it is to get hired.

“It is harder to get hired by Southwest Airlines than to get into Harvard or Yale,” he said.

With approximately 10,000 people applying for 300 jobs, that is only a three percent hiring rate.

Grenon explained how a plane basically works by the four forces of flight, which are lift, drag, gravity and thrust.

Prior to flying people all over the world, he said, planes were used to deliver mail to all 24 time zones.

10 year-old Kayla Dailey said she was excited for someday taking her first plane ride.

“I really liked learning about all the places Pilot Paul went to,” she said. “It was interesting to learn how planes fly.”

Students were treated to special airplane snacks, wooden gliders and 3-D plane models at the end of the presentation.

“I’m going on my first plane ride in August, and am glad I had the chance for this program,” said 11-year-old Jonathan Gelfuso. “I hope lots of other classes get to have it because there’s lots of information.”

To learn how to get “Adopt A Pilot” into your school, visit www.southwest.com/adoptapilot.