I’m a proud mom for the second year in a row as my youngest daughter made the ISB Judi Jugglers team (my oldest was on it last year). This elite group of 4th and 5th students began learning and perfecting various juggling levels back in August. If successful, they earned the right to be named a Jedi Juggler, performing shows in front of their peers at school as well as during an evening performance for family and friends.

Every year, I am amazed at what these kids can do! They juggle balls, rings and clubs. Then they juggle a mixture of oddball items, like umbrellas, apples or plungers.  Apparently, once you learn to master juggling, you can juggle almost anything.

Ava is my 4th grader, a very determined child that I knew early on would want to be on the team. She swiftly succeeded and I was proud, but something that impressed me (almost) even more was a gem of information coming from the P.E. teacher during a casual conversation. I joked with him that I wish she spent a fraction of the time practicing her reading as she did her new-found skill of jugging. Reading is a bit of a struggle for her and she will often find anything else to do but pick up a book. What did I learn?  Studies have shown how juggling actually helps students in many ways: concentration, eye-hand coordination, and reading. Reading, mathematics and science skills can be improved simply by learning to put objects in logical order – the very foundation for juggling.

Well, coincidence or not, Ava’s reading scores have improved this year in the first quarter, she has found books that she enjoys, and she will no longer need regular reading support at school after the semester. Maybe it just “clicked” for her this year as I always assumed it would, or maybe there’s something to this juggling bit. Whatever the reason, her success in both juggling and reading this year has been a tremendous boost to her self confidence in many ways, all with positive results.

Now, back to the juggling. The P.E. department at ISB is beyond great. The kids stay active and have an absolute blast looking forward to grade specific activities that have become legend in the elementary division (Mission Impossible and the 2nd Grade Circus are two more of many anticipated events). They learn skills that remain a lifetime and make memories that they’ll never forget. 

Last year’s post on this event can be found by clicking here; you can count on my writing something again next year with yet another reason to love the Jedi Jugglers. My juggling – and now reading –daughter couldn’t agree more.
 

How difficult is it, sometimes, to teach our children that hard work pays off? That practice makes perfect? Or that when you succeed at something, you have the right to be proud of your accomplishments? Kids are kids, so this lesson can be challenging to convey. Some would rather play than practice. Others are too easily discouraged. And some just don’t have the motivation.

Meet a group of kids who learned a new skill back in August, and due to the sheer force of determination and will to reach their goal, perfected it by October. These are the Jedi Jugglers from ISB, a total of 51 fourth and fifth graders who learned that setting a goal and reaching it is possible, and the payoff is sweet. They earned the privilege to perform in front of their school, parents, teachers and friends, demonstrating a unique skill they will have for a lifetime.

Jedi Jugglers was a concept that actually began in back in the 1980s in the U.S. (Kemper Elementary School in Colorado, to be exact). At ISB it’s been around for 10 years now. Physical Education teacher Tim Callahan leads the team effort (including colleagues Brooke Stephens and Dave Schuster, who, says Callahan, are every bit as responsible for the success of the program), encouraging students to learn and improve upon their juggling skills to make the Jedi Jugglers team. Each year there are anywhere from 50-80 students who meet all the marks to be on the team; this year there are 51 jugglers.

Around the second week of school, the P.E. teachers juggle with the kids before school and at recess every day. The kids have four weeks to “earn their rings” – first by demonstrating that they can master juggling 3 beanbags or balls at least 20 consecutive times. Once they do this, they become “Jedis in Training,” allowing them to take home a set of home-made rings with which to practice. When they can juggle rings 50 consecutive times, they receive a set of clubs made out of tennis balls and PVC pipe. Nine weeks in total were all the students had to in order to be able to juggle clubs 50 times – an extremely difficult task. Callahan says, “Once they can master the clubs, they can juggle almost any objects which have handles.” They are now called Jedi Knights and are invited to be in the school show.

The Jedi Jugglers performed two shows on October 21 – daytime for the school, and nighttime for family and friends. They may also have opportunities to perform at other school functions this year. Kids selected acts in which to specialize, such as “twin” juggling (two people using only one hand each) or juggling on the move (while on skateboards and inline skates); as well, they participated  in “best-of” contests, tricks involving parent/teacher volunteers, and even juggling raw eggs! Ultra-challenging tricks by “Jedi Council Members” were a treat to watch, too. These elite students can juggle clubs 100 times, juggle four objects, pass six objects with a partner, and are able to double spin the clubs. In order to receive this special status, they also must complete 10 good deeds, such as help other jugglers achieve their goals.

“Those kids who demonstrate perseverance learn though both hard work and a ‘never give up attitude” that the impossible is REALLY possible,” says Callahan. “It is also a great and unique lifetime skill to develop that a person never outgrows. They take a lot of pride in becoming Jedis.”

What a great life-lesson to learn.