By Michael D. Clark
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Principal Will Becker is earthbound in the final moments of his jump. Behind him is Steve Vaughn with Paul McCowan Airshows. Photos by GLENN HARTONG/The Cincinnati Enquirer

Students surround Will Becker, 56, after his landing Friday at Western Row Elementary.

MASON - Principal Will Becker has a reputation of going to great lengths to inspire his students at Western Row Elementary. Friday he went the furthest yet.

The 56-year-old Becker jumped from a plane more than 9,000 feet over his Mason school as 1,070 students stared, screamed and squirmed with excitement.

The students earned the thrilling event by responding to Becker's challenge earlier in the school year that every student write a letter to an American soldier in Iraq and collect goods to send to the troops.

The 30-year Mason school veteran performs wacky, end-of-the-school year stunts to reward community-service efforts. Past stunts have included dancing the Macarena on the school's roof or cutting his hair into a red, white and blue Mohawk.

His tandem parachute jump - accomplished flawlessly with the help of Paul McCowan Air Shows in Mason - ended smoothly as the two touched down on a grassy field next to the playground.

Becker, who had never parachuted before, had to sit still for a couple of minutes after landing because of feeling nauseated. But then, he popped to his feet and raised his hands in triumph to his screaming students.

"I really wasn't sick until we started spinning around during the descent and then I thought I would have to throw up in front of the kids. But it was really fun," said Becker.

"The kids did a tremendous job in writing the troops and gathering goods for them. They really did the hard work and I got to do the fun part."

Western Row third-grader Erin King was duly impressed.

. "He should do it again next year," she said.

E-mail mclark@enquirer.com