Schools

Redwood Will Help Break Guinness World Record for Jumping Jacks

Michelle Obama will kick off start to World Record Wednesday morning.

students are hoping to jump into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most people doing jumping jacks in a 24-hour period. Groups around the world will jump for one minute to help earn the title. To break the record, more than 20,000 people worldwide need to complete one minute of jumping jacks in the “Let’s Jump!” event which will take place between 3 p.m. Oct. 11 and 3 p.m. Oct. 12.

The event is being organized by National Geographic Kids magazine with the support of First Lady Michelle Obama. The magazine is hoping to encourage kids and families to get teams, classmates, organizations and communities to join them in breaking the magazine’s fifth Guinness World Record.

The idea is the brainchild of longtime Redwood physical education teacher Renee Stuart.

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“I was looking through a phys ed journal and there was an article about Michelle Obama’s ‘Let’s Move in School’ initiative,” Stuart said.

One of the events listed in the article was an attempt to break the most people doing jumping jacks in 24 hours. Groups, not necessarily just schools, have to sign up, have witnesses at the event and then have their group complete one continuous minute of jumping jacks.

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Tom Hamilton, “The Voice of the Indians,” will serve as a witness and emcee the event. Former Redwood phys ed teacher Eaddie Sedbinski and Avon Lake Patch editor Lori Switaj will also serve as witnesses.

Stuart, who has led phys ed at Redwood for 27 years, said it’s important to highlight the need for children to become more active.

“Sixty minutes a day is recommended,” she said. “We’re nowhere near that. We have 60 minutes of phys ed a week, so I try to communicate to the parents the need for the kids to do more activity at home. One of my goals is to communicate with parents as to why it’s important and the things they can do to help out.”

Stuart said approximately 400 Redwood students are expected to participate in the world record. It will still take a few weeks before the school knows if Guinness is able to certify a record.

“Let’s Jump!” supports First Lady Michelle Obama’s "Let’s Move!" campaign, which encourages kids and families to get healthy and active. The First Lady is scheduled to kick off the 24-hour period with one minute of jumping jacks at the White House.


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