Anna R.
​Alumnus

Anyone who knew Kenzie Ruston knew that she loved life and loved to have fun. They knew how determined she was to work for hours on mastering that new trick, or how she would bring laughter and smiles to everyone in the room with her storytelling, magic tricks, and original songs. Anyone who knew Kenzie Ruston knew that she was loved infinitely and lived life to the fullest. 

On January 5, 2022, the Bouncing Bulldogs, joined in spirit by friends and family all over the world, came together to jump for Kenzie, celebrate her life, and spend time in community with one another. The event, now set to land on the anniversary of Kenzie’s birthday every year, embraced her charismatic character and passion for having fun and jumping rope. Jumpers of all ages played jump rope games, created new routines and combinations, and collaborated on a trivia challenge, memory sharing activity, and sidewalk chalk mural. The event culminated with glow sticks worn in honor of the light that Kenzie brought into our lives, a video screening, and of course, chocolate cupcakes (Kenzie loved chocolate everything!). 

Other friends and family furthered the reach of Kenzie’s legacy by sending in jumping videos throughout the day. We received videos from the UK, France, Japan, and numerous states including Michigan, Oregon, California, Colorado, Texas, Maryland, and North Carolina. The event’s turnout was a true testament to Kenzie and the type of supportive community that the Bouncing Bulldogs program has created. 

During a difficult time of the year, as our love for Kenzie weighs more heavily on our hearts, the Jump-a-Thon is such a wonderful, comforting way to celebrate her and pass on lessons learned from the way she lived her life. I am so grateful for every person who participated in the Jump-a-Thon as it is our unity and community that brings the event its upbeat energy and ensures that Kenzie’s legacy continues to live on. 

Minali J. 
7th Grader

 Every year, we train to get ready for the workshop show. However, for me, the most important and special part of the workshop is when we get the opportunity to jump with and learn from people from other teams. This year, although we did not have the chance to interact so freely, our team went to great lengths to try and make the workshop great for all jumpers on the team. This included inviting two special teachers, LaToya and Stewart, who did a fantastic job at teaching us both single rope and double dutch.

 We started out with single rope, taught by Stewart. My group learned multiple difficult and complex skills, a lot of which were new to me. This included combinations of EK’s and TJ’s, push-ups, crabs, double under frogs, rope releases, and much more. Many of the skills that he taught were learned over his multiple years of training and competing. The fact that he was willing to share his knowledge and help other jumpers from other teams grow, really demonstrated his respect towards our program.

“I am great! I am better with others! I am not the team!” was what LaToya, a jumper from New York, started our double dutch lesson with. This past Saturday, she came to teach us fusion. We learned double step in the form of a two 8-count routine. We had to jump fast and that combined with dance certainly did not make it easy. However, she took us step by step and kept everyone in the same place. LaToya made sure to not only teach us how to execute this routine, but also how to make it look good, how to put energy into your steps, and how to draw the crowd’s attention. That was one thing that she was really good at and one thing that I aspire to improve on as well.

Both of these teachers were chosen for a reason. LaToya and Stewart are both master jumpers and teachers. They have mastered the basics, meaning that they can coach all kinds of skills and all kinds of people. However, we can only benefit from their teaching if we are coachable and go home and practice these skills. If you don’t practice, you can lose the skill just as fast as you get them. We should always take advantage of the opportunities at hand and use them to get better. After all, it’s not every year that something like this happens. Especially in these unusual times, we can only improve, and by taking advice from master teachers, we can do just that!

Clara F.
2nd Grader 

This year was the 4th Annual Kenzie Ruston Jump-a-thon. The Jump-a-thon is a good time to learn new skills and perfect old skills because we honor Kenzie by jumping for 24 hours. We work hard during the 24 hours just like Kenzie would. I think I honored Kenzie by learning two new skills and having fun with the team. Even though I did not know Kenzie, she inspires me to work hard and be a good teammate. 

Miranda F. 
9th Grader 
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This trip to Norway, being my first international travel experience, I had little idea of what to expect during the flight and stay in Oslofjord. Snacks, I decided, would take up a predominant amount of space in both my suitcase and backpack. Teammates encouraged me to pack light, as the flights we were taking would likely be full with little room for carry-ons. The night before we left, I’d lain awake, wondering what would become the defining feature of the trip. Would the jet-lag be unbearable? Would they serve only fish? I took consolation in the fact that I would not be in it alone. 
    As competitive as we trained to be, the Bouncing Bulldogs are linked by the unique experiences that we can only reminisce about with each other. Outside the team, I am greeted with a blank stare upon mentioning early-morning practices. It’s always a relief to sit down with my teammates and with a shared glance, understand what event we’re collectively worried for, or which drill in particular has left us completely void of energy. 
    Upon our arrival at the Oslo airport, we staggered through customs and towards the bus that would take us to the convention center, which I mistakingly identified as being “a real double-decker bus!” It’s a wonder to me now how we were able to load up our bags and make it to our seats before falling asleep. With each of us having managed as little as two hours of sleep on the plane, that was an impressive feat. Like the majority of my teammates, I drifted in and out of sleep, with the occasional jolt awake from a sharp turn or sudden stop. If memory serves, the bus driver’s name was Ivan, which he’d told us after we buckled our seats. I remember driving past an IKEA and thinking about how pretty the city’s skyline was with the silhouette of Norway’s many mountains spread behind it. 
    I’m not sure what I had expected the convention center to look like, but I had certainly not pictured the sleek glass buildings that featured a rooftop staircase, among other unique aspects. My roommates and I were all so excited to explore the room. Four bunks, which could be hidden by two sliding walls, were our first find, the next being the bedroom. The kitchen had held the most surprises: a working oven, stovetop, fridge, and freezer, along with utensils and dishes galore. I have never seen a group so exhilarated by common items, though I admit to discussing how nice it was to have a full kitchen in such a small space. 
    The two days of competition I was involved in flew by, despite the long hours. Speed events were my favorite to watch. Though they often lasted for hours at a time, I found it difficult to look away. The precision and care with which teams performed during both single rope and double dutch speed was astounding. 
    This year’s Grands Day was a sight to behold, with polished, clean routines, as well as perfectly executed speed events. The qualifying Bouncing Bulldogs did especially well in double dutch singles and pairs freestyle. I have never clapped as much as I did that day, watching them hit routine after routine. Though our team does well in many events, it’s clear that double dutch freestyle routines are some of our best. 
    Members of the Bouncing Bulldogs are bound together for life, whether we like it or not. We will always turn back towards one another and casually ask, “Hey, remember that time we went grocery shopping in Norway?” We’ve shared these incredible moments with each other, and that’s become the foundation on which long-lasting friendships have and will continue to be built. Norway has joined the collection of shared memories that bring us closer as a team and as individuals. Through the heat of impromptu summer practices, late night reports, and scraping scrambled eggs from the side of a pan at midnight, we’ll always have each other. I am proud to have been there, to have experienced everything with my teammates, and to have truly learned what it means to be a Bouncing Bulldog.

LAUREL A. R.
5th grader

This past Friday through Saturday was the third annual Kenzie Jump-a-thon. It was held in honor of Kenzie Ruston's life. I enjoyed jumping with my teammates and getting new skills. 

The 8th grade and above jumpers stayed overnight. While I was not one of the people who stayed overnight, I look forward to when I will be able to. Even though all of the older kids were tired, they still turned push-ups for me over and over again until I got it. This shows the older kids with leadership.

The jumpers with leadership are the Makers. The jumpers who jump for themselves are the Takers. The jumpers who don't put in any effort are the Breakers. When events like these happen, it is very easy to see who the Breakers, the Takers, and the Makers are. 

At the very end, for the last minute, we all jumped together. There was a force that made us unstoppable. Even though I never knew Kenzie, it felt like I could feel her presence in the room. Her spirit lives in the stories that my teammates tell me. There are funny stories, serious stories, and in all of them, I can see her work ethic shine through. I can tell that she worked hard every day at everything she did. 

I am very honored to have been a part of this event and to jump for Kenzie. I hope in the future, I can strive to be my best, just as Kenzie and all the older kids have done before me.

"Work for a cause, not for applause." 
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I think that this quote shows the mindset of Kenzie Ruston, a Maker. 

Brooke B.

On January 5, 2018, the Bouncing Bulldogs kicked off the 2nd Annual International Kenzie
Ruston Legacy Jump-A-Thon at 4:00 pm in the Bouncing Bulldogs Community Center (BBCC). For the next 24 hours, there would be at least one person jumping in the Bounce Booth to ensure that all 1,440 minutes were filled with jumping. This task, while daunting, was approached with a positive attitude and energy, just as Kenzie would have done.

From 4:00-9:00, the BBCC was open to the general public. The event was like a big family
reunion as friends reconnected with one another and shared memories. Although everyone walked in with varying experience with jump rope, all were encouraged to jump for Kenzie. The Bulldogs were honored to be joined by some legends in the jump rope world like the president of the National Double Dutch League (NDDL), Lauren Walker, and the Jazzy Jumpers from Brooklyn, New York. The last jump rope competition that Kenzie attended was the Double Dutch Holiday Classic at the Apollo Theater in New York hosted by the NDDL. In the spirit of collaboration, the Jazzy Jumpers shared a drill with the Bulldogs to help jumpers learn how to enter and exit the ropes quickly. This was an instant hit with the Bulldog team members and their families, Kenzie’s family and friends, and the alumni jumpers. Many young jumpers especially enjoyed seeing their parents practice the drill.

Once it was dark outside, everyone received a balloon with a colored light inside and congregated on the outdoor sport court. After some remarks from an alumni parent, everyone released their balloon into the air and watched the lights twinkle and float above. It was a beautiful way to celebrate Kenzie’s birthday and provided a wonderful reminder of how we can keep Kenzie’s spirit alive by living by the values that she stood for.

Following the balloon release, everyone went back inside for a final session of group jumping.
Around 9:00, most jumpers left with their families, and the jumpers who were 13 years old and older stayed at the BBCC over night. These jumpers were responsible for covering the night shifts and were split into three groups based on age. In order to ensure that everyone got a chance to rest and participate, the groups alternated between sleeping and jumping. Despite the preliminary feelings of exhaustion, all jumpers pushed through and contributed to the collective effort to keep jumping in the Bounce Booth.

After breakfast, the jumpers who had slept over at the BBCC packed up their stuff and headed to East Chapel Hill High School where they met the younger jumpers and their families. In the final hours of the Jump-A-Thon, co-captains Anna, Kenneth, and Rebecca led the team through sessions focusing on the various elements of jump rope. During this time, the high school and college jumpers focused on helping their younger teammates develop skills. Before everyone jumped together to conclude the Jump-A-Thon, Kenzie’s mom spoke to all in attendance. She mentioned how aside from enjoying competition and shows, Kenzie’s true love was learning and teaching at workshops.

This Jump-A-Thon was a great testimony to Kenzie’s legacy because this event highlighted the learning process. In the Bulldog program, you grow up looking to your leaders for guidance and mentorship and eventually, it’s your turn to do the same for the next generation. From hearing how much alumni and current jumpers respect Kenzie, it is apparent that she both was a receptive learner and passionate teacher. We can all learn from the strong example set by Kenzie and will continue to celebrate her legacy through this apt annual event.