25th Anniversary Balloon Launch

On January 26, 1984, in celebration of Union City's 25th anniversary, students from Searles Elementary School launched 300 balloons with notes attached to them. The notes noted that name of the school asked the finder to return the card.

For the next few weeks, responses came back to the students. First-grader Shelby Albini got a response from a person in Fremont where the balloon dropped in during a birthday party. Another first-grader, Peter Broadbent, found out that his balloon made it to Palo Alto. Third-grader Noel Milan also had his balloon end up in Palo Alto.

Third-grader Alexander Markiel and fourth-grader Amy Gingery added both of their names to a balloon and launched it. A few weeks later, the balloon landed in Los Altos and they received a phone call from the finder.

The balloon of 8-year-old Tina Cornell had her balloon go the farthest. Hers was found in Big Basin State Park by ranger John Harbison. The response was sent to the school, addressed to Tina. Along with a note, the ranger also sent along information about Big Basin. Teach Mary Tovar said, "I was so excited for the whole class. After two weeks of no responses, we didn't expect to hear anything, but then came that letter."