Help - we need your ideas!

[Hal Bryan]

Hal, is there a centrally located tent just for teenagers? If not, perhaps there should be. No adults inside or very few just outside.

This was one of the key motivations behind the question - should we do more to provide (a) place(s) like this for this age group. I'm really glad to see this thread continuing, including a special guest appearance by an actual teenager! (Thank you Trenton and Malaxender!)

Please keep the ideas coming.

Thanks!

Hal

[Zack Baughman]

I was always one of those kids attracted to the warbirds (and still am) - how about arranging for one of the warbirds to be available some afternoon or evening for a special teens only "Warbirds in Review" type event, including a chance to sit in the cockpit? Don't get me wrong, I love the vintage planes as well, but the warbirds tend to be a bit more robust and more likely to handle a bunch of young adults climbing in and out of them. Just a thought.

Zack

[malexander]

I was always one of those kids attracted to the warbirds (and still am) - how about arranging for one of the warbirds to be available some afternoon or evening for a special teens only "Warbirds in Review" type event, including a chance to sit in the cockpit? Don't get me wrong, I love the vintage planes as well, but the warbirds tend to be a bit more robust and more likely to handle a bunch of young adults climbing in and out of them. Just a thought.

Zack

A couple of years ago, the kids (and adults) got to do this in a P51. I think it was "Quick Silver" we've still got our daughters pictures in it.
The deal with the "teens only" tent is grand idea, to me. It'd be the perfect place for the sims & instructors.
Now, as for turning the kid loose, I've done this with our daughters since they were 12 or 13. We've stayed at Sleepy Hollow campground since we started going
to OSH 10 years ago. We have never felt we needed to be concerned about their safety walking to & from the show from the campground. Our kids have ALWAYS felt safe while at OSH and have never been worried about going somewhere around the grounds alone, it's altogether a different mentality of people there.

[Bill Greenwood]

Zack, I think that is a good idea for teenagers to see some warbirds up close. A few years ago at Sun N Fun, they had a small tram for some foreign vips to drive around the warbird area and were given the basics of different planes. I was one the volunteers that did that a bit. I would be glad to do it at Osh this year,either on a tram or on foot. I don't know all the gist about every type of plane , but can give some info on most of them. I think a lot of young people are more interested in looking rather than listening too much.
I think if you asked for volunteer owners when the pilots register at warbirds you'd get a good response, especially for the larger bombers/C-47 that are easy for people to climb in .
One year when my Son Charles was about 11, he spent an hour with Connie Edwards at his seaplane and being entertained by Connie's many stories, some of which may even have been true.

And we are all teenagers, some of us have been so for decades. When you quit being young you are on your way out.