Paper Airplane Challenge gives kids flighty fun at Tulsa library

BY CARY ASPINWALL World Staff Writer
Friday, January 04, 2013
1/04/13 at 7:43 AM

Toward the end of winter break, when the presents have been opened, the holiday revelry has ended but school is still out, sometimes everyone just needs to get out of the house.

Marianne Stambaugh understands this. One of her duties as the head children's librarian at Tulsa's Central Library includes playing cruise director during summer and winter breaks.

Which is why on Thursday she encouraged dozens of kids to break the usual chapel-hush of the library and throw paper planes off the balcony - with abandon - as part of the Paper Airplane Challenge.

"This was very strategically planned for today," she said.

Mothers and fathers, grandparents and step-parents with little bundles of energy at home were invited to fold paper into gliders, jets and helicopters and fly them off the library's third-floor balcony and onto the floor and shelves below.

"You are airplane engineers today, all right?" Stambaugh told her wiggly audience.

Some people get rather fancy and add rubber bands, staples and paper clips. But really, it's an easy way to reuse and recycle old paper, she explained.

Brooklyn Chavez, 6, decked out in a leopard tunic and kitten heels, set about building her plane seriously, with purpose and singular focus.

Her 9-year-old brother, Aidan Chavez, didn't need the instruction sheet.

"Mom," he protested, "I already know how to make an airplane!"

He rolled his eyes at the safety scissors and got to work.

Nearby, 6-year-old Aidan Sanders could hardly wait to test out the models he built with his younger brother, Alec.

Their mother, Missy David, said she loves library activities because of the variety offered.

"I love getting the kids out of the house and not having to spend money," she said.

She likes letting the boys have relaxation, television and video game time during winter break - but after a few days, she's tired of breaking up sibling squabbles and ready to get them out of the house, she said. Her boys are constantly asking her to help them build paper airplanes.

Alec and Aidan could hardly wait to dart from the table to test "vroom!" and crash their planes.

"Look how much fun they're having - and it's just paper," David said.

Nico Cook, 10, visiting his father and stepmother for the holidays from Branson, Mo., built a plane that sailed almost all the way across the atrium. For his effort, he won an inflatable toy space shuttle that, ironically enough, was not nearly as aerodynamic.

"I do this all the time," he said.

Alex Bachtell, 7, was decked out in head-to-toe Hello Kitty and building planes for a little bonding time with her soon-to-be stepfather, Trevor Harrison.

Both had recently been to the library to get cards so they could borrow books and figured after the Xbox and holiday excitement that paper planes could be fun.

Although Alex likes her classes and teachers at Mayo Demonstration School, she's not quite ready for winter break to end.

"I like to sleep in," she said.
Original Print Headline: Kids enjoy flighty fun at the library

Cary Aspinwall 918-581-8477
cary.aspinwall@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

Craven Butler (left), 6, and his brother Roman Butler watch a test flight during the Paper Airplane Challenge at the Tulsa Central Library downtown on Thursday. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World

Aidan Sanders (left), 6, and Alec Sanders, 5, watch an older child make a paper helicopter during the Paper Airplane Challenge. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World

Craven Butler, 6, tests a paper airplane he made during the Paper Airplane Challenge at the Tulsa Central Library downtown on Thursday. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World

Patrick Powell, 11, and his father, Billy Powell, celebrate a particularly long flight. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World

A volunteer hands out paper helicopters to children during the Paper Airplane Challenge on Thursday. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World