The Ellis County Press: Middle school students jump for the record

Middle school students jump for the record
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Megan Gray on 10/27/2011 10:12:00


PALMER - Despite the flooding rain early Wednesday, Oct. 12, children from
Palmer Middle School filed into the school gymnasium one by one to try and break
the Guinness Book of World Records title for most people doing jumping jacks in
a 24-hour period.
In order to break the record, more than 20,000 people worldwide needed to
complete one minute jumping jacks in events hosted between 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct.
11 and 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12.
A little after 8 a.m. two sets of students, with a total of 342 participants,
jumped for 60 seconds each, part of “Let’s jump!”
First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off the 24-hour period with one minute of
jumping jacks at the white house. “We like to do some fun things here to just
encourage the kids to get active,” said Joanette Roybal, organizer, after the
event.
Other supporters included National Geographic Education; the President’s
Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition; Macerich malls; National Recreation and
Park Association; SparkPeople.com; Let’s Move in School, an American Alliance
for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance initiative; Flash mob
America; Girl Scouts of the USA; We Can! (Ways to enhance children’s Activity
& Nutrition) and Let’s Move Cities and Towns.
To verify the students jumped, each volunteer monitored 50 kids and filled out
paperwork authorizing those students participated.
Roybal wishes to thank the following witnesses of the event: The Palmer Police
Department, Pastor Dave Carlson, Cathy and Dickey Hartley and Photographer John
Trojeck, Yearbook staff, all the teachers and staff helping make the day
possible.
“With the last minute changes due to weather and music problems I think we did
really well.  We had a lot of fun and the kids are great!” said Roybal.
Palmer Independent School District is currently awaiting word on whether or not
they helped break a new world record.