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Seminole County teacher of the year to fly with USAF Thunderbirds

Flight will include looping, turning and rolling

From KSAT Connect user RT78006. (RT78006/KSAT Connect, KSAT)

SANFORD, Fla. – The 2022 Seminole County Public Schools teacher of the year will join the U.S. Air Force in flight on Friday.

Clayton Donnan, a teacher at Crooms Academy, was selected to fly on a Thunderbird aircraft as a part of the Hometown Hero program that celebrates exceptional locals.

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In his scheduled 45-minute flight, Donnan will experience the 9 G-Forces while looping, turning and rolling.

“This is such an honor to be chosen by the Thunderbirds as their Hometown Hero,” Donnan said. “I am incredibly excited to be given this opportunity.”

Donnan has been with Crooms for 18 years, teaching game and simulation design, 3D modeling and animation. When he first started teaching at the school in 2003, there was no music program, but Donnan started a steel drum program that has received multiple “superior” ratings from the Florida Bandmasters Association.

He also runs CroomsCon, a gaming event that has raised more than $60,000 for the Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital.

Donnan’s flight will blast-off the Orlando Air & Space Show that will be held Saturday and Sunday. The show will include USAF Thunderbirds, a B-25 Bomber, the SOCOM Para-Commandos Team and more.

Orlando will be the final stop on the six-show tour.


About the Author

Melissa Perez-Carrillo joined News 6 in September.

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