Amazing soaring facts?

Looking for some help from the group... I'm putting together a presentation
(might be overhead viewgraphs and/or a series of posters) for the general
public on soaring and I want to catch their interest and imagination. For
instances might be: the world altitude record for a glider is close to
50,000ft OR gliders have been used in WWII to deliver troops and equipment
to the battlefield OR you can solo a glider at age 14; before you can get a
drivers permit OR famous people (astronauts) who soar because of the
challenge OR....??

If you have material and or just ideas I'd welcome them.

Thanks in advance

Doug Easton