Monday, Feb. 08, 2010

Seventh-day school helps state attempt new jump rope record

More than 80,000 students participate statewide

Seventh-Day Adventist School in Los Baños helped attempt a statewide jump rope challenge to claim a new Guinness World Record Monday. Throughout California, 2,000 schools and 80,000 students participated in the attempt of the most people jumping/skipping rope at same time. The adventist school, with 40 students, was excited to be part of a much larger group, Principal Marilee Dalton said.

And what made the event more fulfilling for students was their contribution to American Heart Association, $400 which students raised through family and community donations.

The California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD) partnered with Jamba Juice to help students beat the existing record led by Australia of 59,000 people.

"It's not just about educating the mind, but also the body and spirit, the whole child, the whole person," Dalton said. "We've encouraged our students to be challenged and find out what makes us healthy and put it to practice."

Students had to jump rope for three straight minutes, with no more than a 10 second break, to be part of the record attempt. Dalton said all her students, including youngersters in kindergarten, participated.

Jamba Juice provided oatmeal for students the morning of the event. Afterwards, the school began its opening ceremonies with a prayer, song and jump rope instruction and stretching demonstration and from a trainer from In-Shape City in Los Baños.

Dalton said students are using the event as another opportunity to prepare for the Presidential and National Physical Fitness Awards.

"The students are so excited [to be participating]," Dalton said of the jump rope event. "They know they're part of something bigger."

Seventh-grader Kayla Davis said she thought having the event at her school was a good idea because of the benefits of exercise that it taught students.

She also agreed with her schoolmates that jumping rope was a much more fun competition than running laps.

"It's really good the whole state is participating," Davis said.

Michelle Boyd, also a seventh-grader, said the entire school has been practicing for the event every day in their PE class.

Magally Reyes, a fifth-grader, said she thought the event was "reall cool."

Mayor Tommy Jones attended the event as a speaker, and judge, and said he was 100 percent behind the students' committment to the record-breaking attempt.

"I think it's very important to have events like these," Jones said. "With the rate of obesity these days, it's important to teach kids about keeping healthy bodies, along with their minds. This is definitely where it needs to start."

Jones said even though the adventist school was the only participants from Los Baños, the event is something that can be a community-wide event in the future.

"I think everyone should be doing something like this, the whole nation," Jones said.

Enterprise reporter Samantha Salas can be reached by phone at (209)388-6562 or by e-mail at ssalas@losbanosenterprise.com