Everyone Juggles In Mike darling's class at Corridor Elementary
School. Here the class practices on rings before a big performance.
Considered an expert Juggler. Alex HabUston can Juggle Just about anything. Anything Includes these two
toot-long, razor-sharp machetes.
a
W
ho wants to juggle tort hits'" a
tnat.horask.iMl M elementary school
stutlenls A numbor of hands eagur
ly wont up. followed by a chorus of high-pitched
"Me. me. me ”
this is a (putslioo that would probably horrify a
number of parents However, at Corridor Klemen
tnrv School on River Road, juggling is part of the dai
ly curriculum
"We have found that juggling is an excellent wav
to teach kids how to coni enlrate on one thing When
they are juggling lh**y have In stay
focused or they will drop Iht'ir
objm Is. ■ said Mike Carling. Iln*
dins tor of the program
rhe juggling program was start
ed 10 years ago at Corridor by
teacher Ken (’oleman.
"Kan was killed in a ( ar ai i i
(Unit, and 1 know the program had
to continue l*s ause it was so pop
ular with the kids, so I learned
how to juggle.' llarling said
(•arling said many of the kids
am !>etter than him at juggling and
have taught one another how to
juggle. This is an important part
of the program, he said
Carting said the kids have pro
gressed dramatically in the past
few years. The kids who have
I»*!ii involved in Hit! program lor in rue or lour yours
arv now juggling machetes ami lighted tort lies I hoy
learn a lot of liieir Irii ks through leai hing them
selves, he said
The kids at Corridor have come .1 long way. Cur
ling said. They have performed at the Hull Center
every other year and in the yearly l.ugene Celt)lira
lion parade
Their most notable national appearance was last
February in the inaugural parade in Washington.
| ).C The Corridor jugglers were the only (Jregon rep
resentatives in the parade. Carling said
"I have never been anywhere, and I got to go on
a plane to Washington It was cord,' said a smil
ing 10-yoar-old Ryan Qtiesemliery
Beyond the fun the kids have in learning how In
juggle, they also learn how to be self-confident
through their public |>erformances I hey have per
formed in front of youth groups. Parent lonelier
Assor lotion groups anil retirement homes. Carling
said
“Juggling keeps these kids out of trouble When
they aren’t practicing, they are teaching one anoth
er.” Carling said.
Flve-y»arold
Amanda Hoff
man practices
juggling
scarves, the
preferred Item
tor beginners
Story by
Shanti
Sosicnski
Photos h\
Anthony
Forney
Alter the children leave i.orri
dor school, some go on to Kelly
Da Vinci Middle School Cur
rently al Kelly Do Vinci, they don't
have a niggling class
Next year it will he different,
though. (Catherine Webh. a teacher
at Kelly Da Vinci school, will In*
facilitating a juggling ( lass next
year and is currently supervising
it as an after-school program.
"I don't really juggle, but I'm
learning." Webb said The kids’
enthusiasm sparked her interest
in putting together the program at
Da Vinci.
She said next year she will help
students raise money for their
exoenses All the ideas and olan
ning (or the fundraisers will be coordinated by the
kids.
"The money they raise will be used to bring jug
glers from the community into the class." Webb said
There is a large juggling community in Oregon, he
said.
This large juggling community is quickly grow
ing with every new school year. "Juggling is impor
tant to these kids." tiarling said.
"Hey Mike, ran I take some pins home to practice
with." a child asked from across the room
"Sure," Mike said, smiling. "Sou what I moan’"
Cathrlne Webb
shows
Nicholas Tre
bon (In back)
and Nicholas
Landis the
proper method
tor team jug
gling.