The activity was part of a statewide initiative called the 2026 discoverED hoop glider challenge, the flagship event for this year’s remake learning days festival. More than 10,000 students in first through third grade at schools throughout the commonwealth took part in the challenge Tuesday, including at Tyrone Area Elementary and Altoona Area’s Penn-Lincoln Elementary School.

At Penn-Lincoln, first grade students shared their favorite parts of using hoop gliders in class over a video call with two other schools across the state.

“It’s always fun to see kids collaborate and meet kids interested in STEM,” first grade teacher Amanda Irwin said. “They always love meeting kids from other districts as well to see who is out there.”

At Central Cambria, where the district’s kindergarten through second grade students are split between two school buildings, officials choose to do the activity with its second grade class to give students a chance to have fun and make new friends before they’ll come together next year as third graders at Cambria Elementary.

Central Cambria second grader Jameson Boback (right) throws his hoop glider outside Cambria Elementary School on Tuesday. Mirror photo by Matt Churella

Cambria Elementary Principal Heather Niebauer said the students also complete other activities to familiarize themselves with each other, including an “all about me” project and a virtual Google meeting.

The students were put into groups of three, and each group was given a bag containing straws, cardstock and a tape dispenser for the students to share. Each student built their own hoop glider.

With only 18 student days left in the current school year, the students were eager to go outside and fly their hoop gliders in the wind, STEAM teacher Adrienne Hoffman said.

Hoffman said hoop gliders follow the same flight principles of a flying squirrel in that they don’t actually fly; they glide through the air when launched.

“The hoop glider challenge talks about biomimicry where we’re using nature to inspire things that we already have developed,” Hoffman said. “So, specifically, they looked at the flying squirrel and how the squirrel glides through the air.”

About 115 Central Cambria second graders from Jackson Elementary and Cambria Elementary schools came together at the latter on Tuesday to build and launch hoop gliders together. The activity was part of a statewide initiative kicking off the 2026 remake learning days, but it gave the Central Cambria students an opportunity to meet some of their peers from the opposite school before they’re all in classes together as third graders next year at Cambria Elementary. Mirror photo by Matt Churella

Hoffman said there was a lot of paperwork with bus companies and scheduling that went into the event. But it was all worth it to see students — like Aarin Labosky, Carson Brawley and Jayden Strausbaugh — having a great time together.

Labosky, Brawley and Strausbaugh were among the students who chose to decorate their cardstock with colorful designs before building their hoop gliders; something Hoffman encouraged them to do.

“They’re just happy to be able to come together, see each other and meet new faces,” Hoffman said.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.

Penn-Lincoln Elementary School first-grade students Liza Gray (left) and McKenna Spencer share their hoop gliders with two other Pennsylvania schools. Mirror photo by Colette Costlow

First-grade student Matteo Glenn smiles while holding his hoop glider Tuesday afternoon at Penn-Lincoln Elementary School. Mirror photo by Colette Costlow

Central Cambria second grader Charles Keilman practices throwing his hoop glider Tuesday inside the Cambria Elementary School gymnasium. Mirror photo by Matt Churella