It's Official: Boys & Girls Clubs of America Breaks Guinness World Record for Jumping Jacks

ATLANTA, Oct. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- They jumped…and jumped...and jumped – nonstop for two consecutive minutes. A total of 20,425 Boys & Girls Club members, staff and volunteers jumped their way to officially breaking the Guinness World Record for Star Jumps (Jumping Jacks). The news comes after months of anticipation since the record-breaking attempt occurred last spring as part of a nationwide effort by Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) to have the most people doing Star Jumps in multiple venues simultaneously for two minutes.

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The jumping occurred at exactly 6:30 p.m. EDT at 362 Boys & Girls Clubs through BGCA's Triple Play program. This program, supported by founding sponsor Coca-Cola and the WellPoint Foundation, encourages kids to eat a balanced diet, become more physically active and increase their ability to engage in healthy relationships.

"Young people living healthy, active lifestyles puts them on a pathway to a great future," said Roxanne Spillett, president and CEO, BGCA. "We take great pride in the thousands of participants who took the world record challenge seriously and helped Boys & Girls Clubs break this record."

The Triple Play program's sponsors are equally proud. "The WellPoint Foundation is proud to support the Triple Play program, and we applaud all the Boys & Girls Club members who jumped their way to a new world record earlier this year," said Lance Chrisman, executive director of the WellPoint Foundation. "By taking part in this event you've inspired all of us to reach for new heights and to make healthy, active lifestyles a part of our daily lives. Congratulations on not just breaking, but shattering the previous record!"

Quinton Martin, vice president of community marketing for Coca-Cola, added, "Coca-Cola is happy to continue our support of the Triple Play program in partnership with the WellPoint Foundation. The research points to success – Triple Play is getting kids to exercise more, eat a variety of foods and feel better about themselves. As part of our Live Positively philosophy, Coca-Cola is committed to promoting programs that help everyone live active, healthy lifestyles." 

At Boys & Girls Clubs of America's national conference this past May, First Lady Michelle Obama delivered a video message congratulating BGCA on the two-minute record-breaking attempt. Perhaps she was inspired by the effort as she's leading an effort next week on a one-minute version. BGCA, Coca-Cola and the WellPoint Foundation wish her much luck!

What's next? BGCA is exploring another healthy lifestyles world record to break in 2012. For more information about how you can involve your children in programs like Triple Play, use the "Find a Club" feature at www.bgca.org.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, nearly 4,000 Clubs serve some 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native American lands throughout the country and on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at http://bgca.org/facebook  and http://bgca.org/twitter.

About Triple Play
Triple Play: A Game Plan for the Mind, Body and Soul was launched in 2005 by Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services with support from The Coca-Cola Company to encourage kids to eat a balanced diet, become more physically active and increase their ability to engage in healthy relationships. A two-year study of more than 2,000 children ages 9-14 showed that Triple Play succeeded in getting them to exercise more, eat healthier foods and feel better about themselves. The study found that Triple Play kids increased to 90 percent of the federally recommended amount of daily exercise, which is 60 minutes a day for children, while their peers outside the program decreased to 78 percent. To date, Triple Play has helped more than one million kids learn the importance of physical activity and proper nutrition. In 2011, the WellPoint Foundation joined BGCA and Coca-Cola as a Triple Play sponsor. Learn more about the program at www.bgca.org/tripleplay.

SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America