UPDATES
JUMP ROPE FOR HEART FUELS HEALTHY EATING
On Friday February 6 th, 2009, St Joseph Girls` Primary School was presented with a Jump Rope For Heart (JRFH) banner for the commitment and creativity they have shown within the program. The banner was presented to the physical education teacher Miss Joan Walker who is also the trained Jump Rope For Heart teacher. At the presentation Miss Walker reiterated the school’s commitment to the program and promised to re-introduce an activity, in which the school participated last year, to encourage the students to make healthy meal choices. This activity encourages the students to have at least one fruit or healthy snack per day instead of junk food and is just one of the many aspects of the JRFH program.
JUMPING IN CARAPICHAIMA
On Friday, January 23 rd, 2009, TTASPE awarded the Caripachaima RC Primary School with a banner for their participation in the Jump Rope For Heart program. Carapichaima RC has been involved in JRFH for 3 years and has shown great support by making JRFH a part of their official Physical Education curriculum at school.
The event, which began at 9:30 a.m. and included the entire school population, saw the display of various rope jumping skills – from single rope skills, partner skills and group routines – before the Australian High Commissioner, Phillip Kentwell, delivered an official speech reiterarating his country’s commitment to the JRFH program and congratulating students on a truly wonderful display.
The banner was then presented to student Rene Cook before TTASPE President; Mark Mungal took the platform, offering comments on behalf of TTASPE. School principal, Mrs Ovid, gave the vote of thanks ending the day’s proceedings.
PEPPER VILLAGE RECIEVES BANNER
On Thursday 15 th January, 2009 Pepper Village Government Primary School was presented with their Jump Rope for Heart banner. The principal, the teachers and students were all elated to know that their commitment to the program is recognised by TTASPE and appreciated. The banner was presented to the most senior group involved in the program, the standard 5:B class.
To these students the banner is a means of showing off to the community their hard work and commitment in the program. The students also saw the banner as a means of promoting their leadership qualities within the program since only a few selected schools involved in the program received a banner.
ST LUCIA'S FIRST JRFH FESTIVAL!
In December 2008, TTASPE’s Vice President Andre Collins and its Jump Rope For Heart (JRFH) project officer Shauna Thomas visited St Lucia to host St Lucia’s first ever National Jump Rope For Heart festival! The festival came out of a collaboration among TTASPE, The Australian Sports Outreach Program (who funds the Jump Rope For Heart program), the St Lucia Ministry of Social Transformation, Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Education, the St Lucia Diabetes and Hypertension Association, Red Cross, the Optimist Club de Ste. Lisi. The festival was held at the Vigie Multi Purpose Court, Castries on Wednesday 10 th December, 2008. Thirty seven schools, comprising approximately 800 students along with seventy teachers, 6 members from
the Optimist Club, 10 members from the Ministry of Transformation, Youth and Sport, 1 representative from the Ministry of Education.
The Ministry of Education informed all schools a month in advance of the date of and the structure of the event. Schools confirmed their interest in either participating or being observers at the festival since a few schools did not send a representative to the JRFH workshop and therefore do not have a trained Jump Rope for Heart teacher.
The Ministry of Transformation, Youth and Sport organized transportation for fifteen students from each of the thirty seven schools, T-shirts for the volunteers, wrist bands for the students, music, fruits and equipment (ropes). TTAPSE structured the day’s activities for the students. The Diabetes and Hypertension Association was responsible for preparing a booth where interested students could have their blood sugar tested and their blood pressure tested as the Jump Rope For Heart is aimed at encouraging healthy lifestyles with an emphasis on heart health.
The festival opened with a welcome by Mrs. Simon Christian, President of Optimist Club de Ste Lisi, remarks from Ms. Fortuna Bellrose, Director of Youth and Sport, Mr. George Eugene, a representative from the Diabetes and Hypertension Association and Mr. Donovon Williams, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Transformation, Youth and Sport.
At 10:30 all the students were invited onto the court with their teachers to participate in a warm up exercise. Music was playing and teachers were asked to take their students through some movement patterns, some teachers used dance moves for their warm up sessions, others used aerobics or mimicked jump rope skills and all had various stretching activities. The warm set the tone for the day, at first some students were a bit reluctant to participate especially those who were suppose to be observers but by the end of the warm up all the students were excited and ready to display their skills to their peers.
After the warm up, the children participated in single rope activities. Students were placed into three groups’ infants (grades 1 & 2), juniors (grades 3, 4 & 5) and seniors (grades 6 &7) to participate in these activities. Each groups had different activities to participate in and the challenges became more difficult for the older age group. TTASPE was not fully aware of what to expect in terms of skills from the students since these were children who only became involved in the program two and a half months prior to this National Festival, so TTASPE decided on using the simplest set of activities for the infants in case most of them would not be able to properly jump rope. It was a surprise to observe that all the infants who attended the festival were capable of performing most of the single rope skills. The infants were the smallest group, there were approximately 70 students in this group, but this was the most energetic group. The infants were given five minutes to display their jump rope skills. The junior and senior groups were both give seven minutes to display their skills.
Students went on to display partner skills and more complex routines as the day progressed and it was a pleasant surprise when, at lunch time, students quickly ate then spent the rest of their free time practicing their skills and routines to be displayed after lunch. The day ended with the students and teachers collecting wrist bands promoting Sport for all and a key chain promoting Jump Rope for Heart.
An overwhelming show of support and enthusiasm for JRFH in St Lucia continues as students, teachers and representatives of the various ministries and national organizations expressed their heartfelt thanks to TTASPE and Australian Sports Outreach Program for their work in St Lucia.
PUMPY AWARD PRESENTATION
On Thursday 27 th November, 2008 the Pumpy Award Presentation was held at the Arouca Government Primary School. Present were the two St George East Educational District School Supervisor III, media personnel from the Trinidad and Tobago Express Newspaper, parents/guardians of the students selected to visit St Lucia, the school`s student population and the members of staff.
Over fifty boys and girls were engaged in the jump rope activity when the visitors arrivied. Visitors got the opportunity to observe single rope skills, partner skills, long rope skills and Double Dutch skills.
The presentation started with TTASPE sharing information about the Jump Rope For Heart program to help educate the media and the school supervisors. Mr. Bernard and Mr. Adesh Sochan, the trained Jump Rope for Heart teacher, were called upon to receive the plaques for the school`s participation and commitment to the program. Two students were then called upon to receive a package of ropes and key chains. The banner was then presented to a group of students.
The JRFH program aims to teach children about, and help them lead healthy, active lives. It incorporates physical activity with physical education in a comprehensive program that addresses diet and exercise mainly to primary school children. It is funded by the ASOP and run by TTASPE.
UK SPORT visits JRFH in primary schools
TTASPE met with a delegation from UK Sport on Monday November 3, which included Judith Hemery, an Education Consultant, Jasbinder Birk, an Education Manager and Debbie Lye, the Head of Worldwide Impact International Inspiration Director. There were also two members from UNICEF at the meeting.The meeting consisted of an in-depth discussion on the Game On! And Jump Rope For Heart (JRFH) programs , by Sport Development Officers Kerish Maharaj and Shauna Thomas of TTASPE, on each of the programs.
Jump Rope For Heart
After the meeting, the UK delegation visited Lower Morvant Government Primary School where they observed the students of both Lower Morvant Government Primary School and Arouca Government Primary School in a display of jump rope skills. This was done during students’ spare time, under the guidance of teachers. The delegation interacted with students, teachers and the principal of Lower Morvant Government Primary School.
The delegation was briefed on the history of the program in both schools, how it is organised, the problems that teachers encounter, and of plans that the Physical Education teachers have to take their school to the next level in the program.
The principal of Lower Morvant Government Primary School was also part of the discussions and shared the benefits of the program in his school. A highlight of the day was that one of the girls who went to South Africa for the World Jump Rope For Heart Festivals was at the school teaching the younger students and sharing her experiences to the delegation and her peers.
Jump Rope For Heart – pumping on...
Students of San Fernando Girls Anglican School participate at an In-School JRFH festival at their school grounds on October 12th, 2008.
Two new primary schools within the Victoria educational district were introduced to the Jump Rope For Heart program (JRFH) – San Fernando Seventh Day Adventist primary school and La Romaine RC School in September.
The JRFH program has been in existence for the past 5 years and is operated in 60 primary schools locally – Trinidad and Tobago - and throughout the Caribbean, In Anguilla six primary schools and one secondary school are involved, in St Vincent - 14 schools are involved, and in St Lucia over 50 schools are involved, two of which are secondary schools and the rest are primary, and in Grenada four primary schools.
The program, implemented and run by The Trinidad & Tobago Alliance for Sport and Physical Education (TTASPE), is funded by the Australian Sports Outreach Program (ASOP) and is aimed at encouraging healthy lifestyles.
The JRFH program is an interactive program that utilities jump rope (or skipping) as a heart healthy form of exercise and exchanges health information at the same time. It is geared toward youth and has been operating mainly in primary schools.
Earlier this year, United Way Trinidad and Tobago donated $50, 000. for the JRFH program to be used in the St Patrick and South Eastern district. This donation enables 15 more schools, in these districts, to get involved as it will provide funding for the ropes to be used in the program.