An average Georgetown student can easily be stretched beyond his or her limits. Between classes, on-campus activities, sports, jobs and off-campus internships, most students barely have time to sleep, much less fit in community service. For the Jane or Joe Hoya who is already overcommitted, there is an alternative to soup kitchen Sundays and distracted attendance at HOPE general membership meetings – but it is not for the faint of heart.
Skydiving.
Yes, Georgetown students can now risk their lives in an approximately 10,000-foot free fall from a plane while helping others. On April 13, 27 members of the Georgetown community, including a Jesuit and a faculty member and his wife, will participate in the Jump for the Kids fundraiser.
“I’ve jumped before, in college. It’s been a long time, but it’s something that I’d like to try again – to do good and have fun. I’m thrilled by it,” Fr. Kevin Wildes, S.J., associate dean of the college, said.
Though the fundraiser may seem an obscure way to raise money, it has its roots in the Georgetown community.
“Jump for the Kids was established by the Brandy Rutan emorial Fund, which annually awards a scholarship to a high school senior involved in Georgetown University Law Center’s Street Law program,” the organization’s Web site says. “[It] seeks to make post-secondary education an attainable goal for high-school students from low-income backgrounds.”
Rutan, a student at the Georgetown Law Center, passed away in 2001.
The student that receives the $1,000 scholarship must attend a District of Columbia public high school. This year’s scholarship was awarded to Janisa LaSalle from Eastern Senior High School; she will attend Morgan State University this fall. Other money helps to fund gateway programs for high school students to “foster self-esteem, promote unity and provide a sense of achievement.” They also make it possible for students to apply for financial aid both for school applications and tuition.
This is the first year that real interest in the fundraiser has been brought to the main campus. Julie Grauert (COL ’05) happened to see a copy of one of the organization’s brochures on a table in the Leavey Center. Grauert, who is very involved in the GU Friends Initiative, thought it would make a great activity for student and faculty interaction, as well as community service.
She enlisted the help of Jimmy Buckley (MSB ’06) and the two encouraged as many people as they could to sign up for the fundraiser. “I wish we could’ve made it more of a campus-wide event,” Grauert said. “I would love to work on the sustainability of the event; it would be great if every April we’d have Jump Day. It just depends on each person’s personal initiative, but we’ll see how it goes and how students respond.”
Each person that participates must do more than work up the courage to jump out of the plane. He or she must raise at least $100, as well as pay for his or her jump, which costs an additional $160. Anyone who raises $500 or more, however, will have their fee waived. Wildes estimates that he has raised around $3000 thus far.
While this monetary clause presents a hurdle for participants, the fear of jumping itself is also great.
“When I told my friends about it, they were all really excited, and they all said they’d jump, but none of them are [going to],” Grauert said. “I’m excited and really, really scared, but I haven’t had that much time to think about it. We’ll see if I make it down in one piece.”
Buckley, meanwhile, has a different obstacle to overcome – his parents.
“My dad still doesn’t think that I’m going, but I want to do it for myself and for others,” he said.
It’s too late to sign up for this year’s jump, but Buckley has stressed the fact that it’s not too late to contribute.
“Just because you can’t go anymore doesn’t mean you can’t help,” he said.
Anyone who wishes to sponsor a jumper can e-mail Buckley at jrb37georgetown.edu or Grauert at jcg9georgetown.edu. Those who wish to contribute to Father Wildes may e-mail him at wildeskgeorgetown.edu.
