August 30, 2024
ROCKY RIVER, Ohio – The famous U.S. Navy Blue Angels are in town for the Cleveland National Air Show and Rocky River High School social studies teacher Sara Ziemnik experienced the ride of a lifetime earlier this week with a 45-minute ride in the backseat of Blue Angel #7 with Lt. Connor O’Donnell.
It’s something she never imagined would ever happen.
“The opportunity came up and this is not the kind of thing you say no to,” Ziemnik said. “It lasted about 45 minutes, but went so fast. We went straight up, we did flips, and we flew upside down for about 15-20 seconds, so I was just hanging in the air. I don’t even know how to describe it. I’m really grateful for the opportunity that I had.”
Ziemnik was chosen for the ride through the Blue Angels’ Key Influencer program, which offers local residents who positively impact local youth the chance to take to the skies in an Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet. A key influencer is defined as an individual who shapes attitudes and opinions of youth in their communities. They may be experts in their field, public figures, leaders of youth organizations, teachers, guidance counselors or school administrators.