MANSFIELD — Donna Calderhead couldn’t have asked for a better retirement gift.
After 26 years in education, Calderhead is retiring as the art teacher at Malabar Intermediate School. Her last day of class is Tuesday.
She spent Friday night in an airplane, soaring over the city of Mansfield with a front row seat as the soldiers in the U.S. Army Parachute Team plunged toward Arlin Field.
The team, also known as the U.S. Army Golden Knights, is a group of active duty soldiers who perform and compete in skydiving exhibitions around the world.
The Golden Knights offered a headline performance at Friday night’s Peace on My Block Festival, a free community event organized by Malabar Principal Tom Hager and his staff.
Calderhead was one of two Malabar staff members randomly selected to fly on the Golden Knights plane.
Susan Borland, a paraprofessional in the school’s special needs classroom, was the other.
The two women watched as soldiers went through their pre-flight rituals — rehearsing their routine on the tarmac at Lahm Airport, a group huddle and cheer, a thunderous round of stomping and cheering as the plane took off.
The aircraft circled the city for more than thirty minutes, anticipation building as familiar landmarks passed by below.
Then, it was time to jump. Eleven soldiers exited the plan in rapid succession, hurdling towards the earth at 12,000 feet.
“It was an honor to be here and witness a team event that represents what we’re trying to achieve at school — everybody working together and being pointed in the right direction and having success,” Borland said.
Golden Knights soldiers say they hope their performance inspired Mansfield kids
The Peace on My Block Festival is part of a larger effort by Mansfield City Schools to promote peace and positivity.
The district launched the Peace on My Block initiative in 2023 in response to a spike in gun violence among Mansfield youth.
Hager said the goal of the festival isn’t just to have a fun, free event. It’s about inspiring the city’s youth to reach their full potential and setting the stage for a summer characterized by hope and possibility.
“What a phenomenal night for our community. What an honor to have the Golden Knights performance for our city. It was a perfect night,” Hager said.
“Thank you to all the sponsors who supported the event to make the night possible.”
Hager said he hopes the Golden Knights performance opens students’ eyes to what’s possible.
Earlier in the week, SSgt. Jonathan Rivera visited Malabar to speak with students about his journey to joining the nation’s most elite skydiving team.
“I never visited school before, so that was one of the biggest treats,” Rivera said. “I talked to about six or seven different classes and it was definitely the highlight of my day.”
Rivera began the tryout process for the Golden Knights in 2024. He ended up with a broken leg that required 11 weeks of rehab and two surgeries.
“I had a long journey last year, but I never gave up,” Rivera said. “I knew more than anything this is exactly what I wanted to do.”
“It takes a lot of grit and fortitude. You’ve got to really want it,” he added.
The Golden Knights’ primary role is to serve as Army ambassadors to the American public.
After their performance, the soldiers remained at Arlin Field to speak with children and their families. They signed autographs and let kids try on their parachute packs.
“Hopefully you can inspire someone,” said Sgt. 1st Class Justin Brenner. “You may not see it immediately, but maybe five or 10 years down the road, that’ll be the next Golden Knight.”
Below are photos and video of the U.S. Army Golden Knights descending onto Mansfield’s Arlin Field on Friday evening. (Credit: Hayden Gray)
