The children of Bay Point Elementary were amazed at the sight of a huge Black Hawk helicopter sitting on their P.E. field Wednesday morning.

The aircraft and its crew were visiting as part of the Great American Teach-In. Hundreds of parents and volunteers across the Tampa Bay area went to schools to talk about their careers, which included everything from firefighters to politicians to scientists to document shredders.

But one of the coolest props was the Black Hawk, operated by the six-person "Phoenix Dustoff" Army MedEvac unit out of the St. Petersburg-Clearwater airport.

Read full story | See photos from the professionals visiting students at Tampa Bay area schools

William Thornton visited Osceoa Middle School to talk about decisions and consequences. Thornton was a teen when he was sentenced to 30 years in prison for vehicular homicide.

• No more prison time for Thornton (April 2, 2009)

• Thornton quietly waits for justice (June 18, 2008)

• Tampa attorney says bad lawyering got teen 30 years in prison (June 4, 2008)