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Fair Oaks Student Body Hosts World Event
Stacking Up
cup stack 1
A Fair Oaks sixth grader as he tries his skill at cup stacking on the timing mat, during the schools recent participation in the National Stack Up Event. Teresa Hammond/The Leader

Fair Oaks fifth and sixth grade students were once again treated to a memorable opportunity thanks to the guidance and coordination of sixth grade teacher Vincent Eisman.

Previously this year, the students were given the opportunity to participate in the 2015 Stack Up Event sponsored by World Speed Stack Association (WSSA). The one day event is aimed at establishing the world record of most people sport stacking cups in multiple locations on a single day.

“Fair Oaks sixth graders participated last year, helping to set a new 2014 record of 592,292 people worldwide,” Eisman said. “This year, 220 fifth and sixth graders helped to break the record and a new record of 616,535 people participated around the world.”

Eisman shared that the Stack Up event has prompted students to show an interest for and get excited about speed stacking.

“You can find them stacking before school, during recess and at lunch,” he said. “Speed stacking is an individual or team sport wherein participants stack 12 plastic cups in pyramids of 3, 6 and 10 cups in the most efficient sequences possible.

“The greatest thing about speed stacking,” he continued, “is that while students may compete against one another, they primarily compete against themselves, always trying to improve their time in various categories.”

According to Eisman, the sport of speed stacking improves hand-eye coordination, utilization and cooperation of both brain hemispheres and bimanual coordination.

“Interestingly, the Department of Kinesiology at a Maryland university found that six weeks of regular sport stacking actually helped improved students’ reading comprehension,” he said.

Eisman would like to see the school continue to promote the activity.

“It would be exciting for Fair Oaks to host a district-wide tournament, inviting other elementary schools and possibly even junior high and high school students who stack to join us.”

For additional information on speed stacking visit www.speedstacks.com