RE/MAX hot air balloon to visit Elk Grove school

Students at Grove Junior High School in Elk Grove Village will get a special visitor to start off the new school year on Aug. 23 when the RE/MAX Hot Air Balloon visits the school at 777 W. Elk Grove Blvd.

More than 800 Grove students will learn about various aspects of ballooning, including its history and the scientific principles involved, and will see a demonstration on how the balloon functions. The program will be presented three times starting at 9 a.m. in the school gymnasium. The 75-foot-tall balloon envelope will be inflated with cold air, and students will be allowed to walk inside it. The interactive presentation concludes outdoors with a demonstration of how the balloon basket and burners operate.

The RE/MAX balloon was created 35 years ago and has been an educational and promotional tool appearing at festivals, parades and charity events. The balloon will be involved in more than 100 educational programs presented by its crew at schools across Northern Illinois this year.