When students and staff return for the new school year, the question of “Did you do anything exciting over the summer?” always comes up in conversation. Casey M. Roberts, Principal of Smithfield High School, is ready with an answer that is sure to be different from the usual responses. In June, Roberts went on his first tandem jump with the elite US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. The jump, which involved other education and community leaders, took place through the Virginia Skydive Center in Petersburg. All participants went through a ground school training session which covered information about the jump, safety procedures, and operation of the equipment before boarding their plane at the Dinwiddie airport. Roberts confessed that jumping out of a plane did make him a little nervous, but the opportunity to experience skydiving with such a distinguished group of professionals and the overwhelming sense of adventure convinced him to accept the Army’s invitation. Not only does Roberts have an incredible story to tell when people ask what he did over the summer, but he also has a revised life lesson to share: “When opportunity knocks, open the door—and jump out!”