PORT ORCHARD — A sixth-grade student at Mullenix Ridge Elementary in Port Orchard got the ride of a lifetime on the way to school March 31 when Kaylie Colombo was choppered in by the King County Sheriff’s Office.

As a part of Mullenix Ridge’s “personal passion for learning,” or PPL, Colombo got to ride in the sheriff’s office helicopter, see Seattle from the air and be the envy of her peers.

“It’s a part of our PPL, and is such a great thing,” principal Barbara Pixton said. “The helicopter landed on our lawn for the whole class to come out and see.”

PPL is a yearly research project that creates learning opportunities incorporating reading, writing and research skills, Pixton said.

“In a world with such an over-abundance of information, the research skills students acquire through this process will serve them well as they progress through school,” said Michelle Peck, Mullenix Ridge’s librarian, in a message sent home to educate families about the opportunity.