Seminole County Teacher Flies into the Wild Blue at the Orlando Air & Space Show in Sanford
Kendall L. Robinson 
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds recently selected Clayton Donnan to fly as a "Hometown Hero" to honor the teacher's contribution to educating young people in Seminole County.
Recognized as 2021's Seminole County teacher of the year, Donnan has taught at Crooms Academy for the last 18 years. He teaches games and simulation design, 3D modeling and animation, as well as steel band. He also runs CroomsCon, which is a social gaming event that draws in hundreds of participants and has raised more than $75,000 to benefit the Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital.
Though he devotes much of his time to being int he classroom, Donnan spent his Friday in a very different locale, however, strapped to the rear seat of an F-16. At times during his flight, he hit up to 9 g-forces and looped in the sky.
“It was unspeakable,” Donnan said. “I wasn’t nervous. It was just a fantastic, phenomenal ride.”
“Obviously we make games, I play games. The idea of flying a real plane is something that I’ve dreamed of since I was a little kid and I was flying PC simulators when I was 10 years old,” he said.
Brandon Hanshaw, the principal of Crooms Academy, strongly applauded the Air Force for their selection of Donnan as a "Hometown Hero" for the show.
“He’s put in so many hours and so much time individually with students and their families. Now to have this reward, unbelievable,” Hanshaw said.
