Third grade class earns kite flying

Mrs. Simanton's third grade class took some time last Friday to go outside and fly kites at Murray Field. But this wasn't just a random relaxing afternoon away from the classroom. Her class earned it.

"It's a group reward," Stacy Simanton told the PCN. Every third quarter they get to earn a reward. It's kind of a tradition."

She went on to say that the tradition started last year, which was her first as third grade teacher at Malta Elementary. This spring semester students earned a "Popsicle and Kites Party."

She admitted that she at one point in her life was an avid kite flyer, but now only flies kites on reward days, like last Friday.

So what did the students have to do to earn the party?

For each quarter of the school year, Simanton's students have a chance to earn a reward day. The students have to be good in class and learn respect, otherwise they can come one step closer to losing that reward.

Simanton simply writes the name of the reward on the board, for anytime the class it unruly, it will lose a letter. No letters left, equals no party. This quarter it was POPSICLES AND KITES. How many letters were left on the board, before their reward day? Only one. Apparently the class had been waiting a few weeks, thanks to Eastern Montana's fickle weather, so far this spring.

Some of the other rewards Mrs. Simanton's class has had were popcorn parties and game board parties, but this day was different, almost educational.

For those in Phillips County who haven't flown kites, Mrs. Simanton has some advice on the subject.

"Obviously it takes some wind, which we are lacking (Friday), so most of them are running to create their own wind to get the kite in the air and as it goes up, they have to release some string and hopefully the breeze will catch it," Simanton said.

Though it was a windless day, many students got their kites in the air, some kites were personal kites and others belonged to the school.

Kirsta Meisdalen, one of Simanton's students, did exceptionally well that day.

"Its fun flying kites around," Kirsta said. "Sometimes it's not working good. You need to get a good breeze for it."

She had a multi-colored kite locked and loaded with peace signs and streamers, that has served her well in the past and on Friday.

Her longest flight with the kite, a 10-minute period which happened at her home.

Her mother, Susan Meisdalen, is also a kite enthusiast, was there with the class and a few other parents at the park.

"I love kites," she said. "In fact when we got Kirsta a kite, I got my own too. Mine's a little bit heavier, so I didn't bring it."

Meisdalen went on to say, she thought the kids were having fun, even though their kites weren't staying in the air long.

"They're just having fun racing around," she continued. "They're cute kids."

Gage Hererra was another student who had a lot of success flying that day, with his personal triple U.F.O. kite.

Spencer Gibbs had one of the coolest kites ever made. It was a kite that literally looked like a fighter jet, when in the air, with a flame that followed.

Also seen were flying fish, which means the whole experience could've been a dream.