DYLAN Parker's love of paper planes inspired a movie, and has drawn the Lake Macquarie local back to his old school at Fassifern.
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At the end of last term, students at Fassifern Public School were treated to a movie, Paper Planes.
One of the teachers remembered that Mr Parker, one of the men who inspired the movie, had been a former student at the school.
In 2009, Mr Parker competed in the World Paper Plane Championships in Austria.
His journey was featured on an episode of Australian Story.
Director Robert Connolly saw that episode of Australian Story and it inspired him to make Paper Planes.
The school asked Mr Parker if he wanted to visit his old stomping ground and show the students a thing or two about paper planes - and to their delight he agreed.
"Dylan was very keen to come back to visit the school and present his Paper Pilots workshop to our students," teacher Stephanie Clarke said.
Mr Parker said Paper Pilots was the world's first paper plane sports team which teaches students the science behind aerodynamics.
"It's a flight less hidden with paper planes," Mr Parker said.
"Learning through play is one of the most powerful teaching tools - the students remember and retain more because they have something to contextualise what they've learnt with."
While Mr Parker admits his fascination with paper planes didn't start until high school, Fassifern Public School was where he made his first plane.
"Like every kid at primary school I tried to make paper planes," Mr Parker laughed.
He said visiting the school was a "blast from the past".
"It was so weird, everything was smaller than I remember," he said.
"I've got great memories [of Fassifern Public School]; it's retained its small school charm."
■ To organise a Paper Pilots visit to your school go to paperpilots.com.au.