September 26, 2003

On December 17, 2003, we will celebrate 100 years of powered flight. Little did the Wright brothers from Dayton, Ohio realize how much their 12-second, 120-foot flight would change the world.

To celebrate this event, and in cooperation with the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission, the Tulsa Air and Space Museum (TASM) and The Oklahoma Aviator newspaper are sponsoring the Centennial of Flight Student Essay Contest for homeschoolers and private school students. Students will participate in two categories, grades 4-8 and grades 9-12. Three winners in each category, as well as an overall winner, will be chosen.

"The Oklahoma Aviator is committed to providing as many aviation-related experiences as possible for Oklahoma students, and is proud to offer this essay contest to the kid's sometimes left out of such opportunities; our home schooled and private school students," said Barbara Huffman, Co-Publisher of The Oklahoma Aviator.

Winners will receive a tour of the TASM complete with refreshments. They will be presented with a certificate documenting their achievement. The winning essays will be on display at the museum until December 17, 2003. In addition, the overall contest winner's essay will be published in the January edition of The Oklahoma Aviator.

"The advent of powered flight by the Wright Brothers is the single most important event of the 20th century. Not only did it drastically change the way the world travels but it ushered in the age of human kind leaving the planet. It has allowed the species to affect change of planet Earth as well as the universe," said Kim Jones, TASM Curator

The deadline for submitting essays is October 30. For contest rules and procedures, please contact Kim Jones at 918-834-9900 or Barbara Huffman at 918-527-0430. Do not miss this wonderful opportunity to share in the excitement of aviation and help celebrate the centennial year of powered flight.