JUMP ROPE FOR HEART UPDATES
SAN FERNANDO ANGLICAN's THIRD IN_SCHOOL JRFH FESTIVAL!
San Fernando Girls` Anglican Primary School held their third Jump Rope for Heart In-School Festival on October 8th, 2009. This event was a half day of different jump rope activities allowing the 580 girls within the school with the opportunity to display jump rope skills! Like with previous festivals at this school there were parents present and all the members of staff were involved in ensuring that the day was a success.
The day`s activities were coordinated and run by standard five students. The students’ responsibilities included getting the classes on the court yard in order, ensuring that there were enough ropes for the number of girls in each class, properly spacing the girls apart and ensuring that the girls participating were following the rules of the event. The students were also given an opportunity to display their skills but they were the last class to do so. A class of boys from the St Paul`s Anglican Primary School was given the opportunity to display jumping skills. The infant students at both San Fernando Anglican Primary School and St Paul`s Anglican Primary School participated in basic jumping activities since most of them were only recently exposed to the jump rope activity. These students played games like snake, waves and jumping over a stationary rope since they are still in learning the proper jumping technique.
This year San Fernando Anglican decided to use the theme ‘Food Labels’ at the health theme. The students were exposed to information on how to read and understand what are on the food labels to help them to be able to make healthy meal choices. Posters displaying how to read the labels and fruit posters were created and posted around the school.
TTASPE provided the students each with a JRFH key chain. Prizes were given to the girls who won the jump off in their class. This competitive aspect brought some excitement among the girls since they started cheering on the students participating in the jump off.
What's happening around the Caribbean -
The Jump Rope for Heart program was initially introduced into Anguilla in 2005, since its introduction TTASPE was able to get all six primary schools in the island and one secondary school to successfully implement the program.
Over the years the trained Jump Rope For Heart teachers decided to provide the students with the opportunity to participate in jump rope activities on a competitive level and so created an after school club called ‘Anguilla Pepper Steppers’. This club consists of students from the various primary schools and secondary schools. Currently there are around 2,580 students actively involved in the program within the school environment and 20 children, from various communities, who are a part of the club.
The trained Jump Rope for Heart teachers are the ones who administer and coordinate both the school programs and the club. Last year the teachers decided to expose the students who are a part of the club to the highly competitive aspect of the program and held a jump-rope four week camp for the students during the July to August vacation.
At the camp the students were exposed to speed jumping and a variety of jump rope skills from a Jump Rope professional, Mr Kelvin Martin - 16 times World Skipping Champion.
This year a camp was again held during the students’ July to August vacation; exposing them to different styles and jump rope techniques. Adults within the community were given the opportunity to learn some of the jump-rope skills at an Adult Camp which was hosted by the Pepper Steppers in collaboration with the Health Promotion Unit (a division of the Ministry of Health, Anguilla). The adults were not only exposed to a variety of jump rope skills but also the importance of keeping fit and maintaining a balanced diet.
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.
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. 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.