MIDDLETOWN –– Rhode Island Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist was a distant dot in the sky. She had just jumped from an airplane about 10,000 feet up Saturday.
Her skydive –– about half freefall, half parachute, accompanied by an instructor holding on the whole way down –– was meant to generate publicity around a push for students who met their summer reading goals.
Called “Dive into a Great Book!: The Summer Reading Challenge,” the idea was for students to finish all summer reading so their principal or a teacher from their school could go on the skydive as well, according to a news release from the Rhode Island Department of Education about the skydive.
Drew Madden, a math and data coordinator at Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy, donned the red jumpsuit along with Gist.
“First and last, I’m sure,” Gist said of the skydive she was about to take. “I don’t like that spinning-around stuff.”
But when it was over, Gist said it was not so scary after all and “really fun.” She said she might consider skydiving again.
“I recommend it to anyone,” Gist said. “It happened fast, so you really didn’t have time to think or get nervous.”
Madden, also attached to an instructor during the skydive, said “you fall right out,” followed by what seemed like 40 seconds of falling, then the parachute deploys and it feels more like diving into water.
Fulfilling dares if students fulfill reading targets is not new. Last year, a teacher at Lillian Feinstein Elementary School at Sackett Street, in Providence, ate a worm after students met reading targets. Gist said that she came into the school and cooked the worm for the teacher.
Marc Tripari, owner of Skydive Newport, which provided the skydives Saturday, said the basic rate for a skydive attached to an instructor is $230. Gist said she paid for the skydive.
Ninety or so students and parents, whom Gist said were from Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy, were on hand, cheering for the two skydivers.
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