FIVE weeks of skipping to raise money for Jump Rope for Heart came to a close last Thursday for Tarrington Lutheran School, with their final skipping event being their whole school ‘Jump Off’.

All students at the school had been skipping throughout the five weeks and logging their minutes via the online Jump Rope for Heart portal where their family and friends were also able to donate money.

Tarrington Lutheran School teacher and Jump Rope for Heart coordinator, Jane Crowe, said it was the main fundraiser the school had completed this year and all students had fully embraced the task.

“They’re all into it,” she said.

“They love skipping and do it at recess, lunchtime, before school, and after school.

“They’ve been doing as much practice as they can.”

The ‘Jump Off’ saw the school split into senior students and junior students, with both then broken up into three groups that rotated between skipping with short ropes, long ropes, and showing off their tricks.

The energy was electric as the students showed off their recently learned skills of criss-cross, skipping backwards, double skipping, and single leg skipping.

Ms Crowe said the Grade 6 students played an important role in the ‘Jump Off’ as they led each of the three groups in both the junior and senior sections, providing encouragement and tips to the younger students.

“They’re really developing their leadership skills,” she said.

“They have also been working with their Foundation buddies to help them learn how to skip.”

The whole school had a goal of raising $5000 for Jump Rope for Heart and were $43 off their goal last Thursday at the time of the ‘Jump Off’.

Ms Crowe said the school would give students one last week to wrap up their donations before they announced their fundraising total, but they were hopeful they would achieve their goal.

Weekly prizes had been given at assembly for the students who skipped the most and the person who raised the most money, which Ms Crowe said encouraged students to continue skipping.

She said the students were very interested in skipping and wouldn’t be surprised if they continued to skip even though the fundraiser was finished.