Meade Village Youngsters Jump to Break World Record

High pitched pants of exhaustion and miscellaneous shouts of glee filled the small cafeteria-sized game room at the Meade Village Boys and Girls Club.

As a part of a countywide effort, members of the after-school program attempted to break a Guinness World Record for simultaneous jumping jacks by having the children execute “star jumps” for two minutes straight.

The Boys and Girls Club Triple Play initiative, an effort to engage a children’s body, spirit and mind, was a factor in initiating the Guinness World Record.

“One of our priorities is to always keep the kids active,” said Kourtney Turner, program director of the Boys and Girls Club at Meade Village. “Why not try to break a record doing something we do every day?”

At the Meade Village location specifically, the younger children, ages 5-12, were unable to participate in the official effort taking place at another club location, but that didn’t stop them from trying.

Despite the fact their efforts were “unofficial,” the young children of the program practiced their jumping jacks with great aplomb as they executed different strategies to sustain themselves for two minutes.

One jumper, Kaliyah Chichster, 9, had to stop due to a cramp amid the hysteria.

“[The cramp] is not really in my stomach. It’s off to the side,” said Chichster.

“[The younger aged children] are a big part of the Boys and Girls Club. The younger we reach them, the longer the stay,” said Turner. “If we can keep them involved now, it increases the likelihood that they would want to continue and do something official and keep them involved as long as possible. ”

The children playfully jumped unaware and uncaring of the final outcome, led by program aide, Sierra Johnson, who shouted instructions and remaining times throughout the exercise.

While it is still unknown as to whether the Boys & Girls Clubs of Annapolis & Anne Arundel County was able to set a new world record, one thing is for sure.

If you give the young children of Meade Village a good reason to be silly, have fun and bounce around for awhile, they’ll jump at the opportunity.