Skipping school to go jump rope was the plan on Friday, March 23rd for some members of the Heroes and Cool Kids club who volunteered at the annual Jump Rope for Heart at H.B Whitehorne.
Members were responsible for keeping order while students were jumping rope, leading the stretches, spinning ropes for double -dutch, and running the water station.
“We got involved with this because since we already work with the fifth graders, (middle school Phys. Ed. teacher) Mrs. Jordan wants us to get involved with other things going on in the school like Jump Rope for Heart and Field Day at the end of the year,” said Heroes and Cool Kids Advisor Patricia Hemsley-Cartotto.
Several of the “Heroes” reported that when the seventh and eighth graders walked into the gym for the first session, they realized that Jump Rope for Heart had changed since they were in the middle school.
Students walked into the gym in tutus, some were dressed as old women, business men, basketball players and some were in group costumes. Even the teachers were dressed following a deck of cards theme.
The VHS seniors recall that when they participated, kids made groups of five or six to share a jumping spot with. The group would make a group t shirt if they were really in the spirit. It was more about having fun spending the day jumping rope more than what we looked like.
“It looked like they were celebrating Halloween! When did it become a costume contest?” said senior Erin Smythe. “When we were in middle school, all the fun was in the actual jumping part. Not the preparation,” said Erin.
Altogether, the school raised $38,750 with the Heroes and Cool Kids making a financial contribution of their own, as each of the Heroes had to make a minimum contribution of $25 to participate.