Despite the French manicure, Megan Funk wasn't worried about breaking a nail.

The 24-year-old elementary school teacher was more concerned about losing her breakfast of Honey Bunches of Oats with peaches as she climbed into an F-16 fighter jet Thursday for the rare opportunity to fly with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

Funk soared through the sky as the plane looped, barrel-rolled and flipped, pulling her through seven G's of force that made her 140 pounds feel like more than 1,000.

"I really like the straight takeoff, straight up to 17,500 feet," Funk said after landing. "Then we did some rolls, and right after that my stomach said, 'That's enough.'"

Hill Air Force Base selected Funk, a second-grade teacher at Majestic Elementary School in North Ogden, as the Hometown Hero for her humanitarian efforts helping her class raise money, clothes, blankets and fruit for United Way programs.

"She got her 7- and-8-year-old students together to gather fruit from their neighbors," said Robert Hunter, president of United Way of Northern Utah. "They raised money during the winter months that helped people from getting kicked out of their homes. She's a hero."

And this isn't the first time Funk exceeded expectations through volunteer efforts. In high school, she often washed windows for older people or cleaned up public roads and parks. This time, she encouraged her 23 second-graders to donate money to charity projects. Her class also recently completed a food drive for Catholic Community Services.

Her father, Alan Hall, said that Funk and her five siblings were raised to volunteer and give back to the community. And the U.S. Air Force gave Funk a wild ride through the skies to the Utah Test and Training Range, traversing the cloudy atmosphere at more than 400 miles per hour.

The Hometown Heroes program gets Thunderbird pilots and crews ready for a larger open house and air shows in about 73 cites throughout the U.S. and the world. Thunderbird pilot Maj. Tony Mulhare said pilots sign up for two years and fly in various formations, showing off aircraft from as far back as World War II.

Though describing himself as "straight up jealous," Megan's husband, Curtis Funk, said he was excited Megan would get the chance to fly thousands of feet into the air with professional pilots.

"At first I thought it was too good to be true," he said. "But she deserves it. She's a world traveler and has this humanitarian side to her."

Her family stood outside the flight line waving American flags as the jet roared into the air.

"We're just so proud of her and proud to be an American," said Funk's mother Jeanne Hall.

Before boarding the plane, Lt. Col. Derek Routt put Funk through hours of briefing and training for emergency situations.

Flight surgeon Charla Quayle said to avoid passing out on the flight, Funk had to tighten certain muscles and breath in small amounts of air. Hurtling through turns at seven G's could cause her to lose consciousness after 10 seconds.

"It's an amazing feeling to fly," said Maj. Rick Goodman, Thunderbird pilot. "I enjoy my job so much. Every time I fly, I still look forward to it."

Funk landed waving a barf bag as an indication that the flight was fun but she surrendered some of her morning cereal.

Although she said flying a fighter jet would be an exciting career, Funk plans to stay grounded with her second-graders.

E-MAIL: lgroves@desnews.com