UPPER CANADA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
UCDSB Students Help Set World Record in Sport Stacking

Students from three Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) schools helped set a new world record in sport stacking, better known as cup stacking an activity where participants stack specially designed cups in predetermined sequences as quickly as possible.

The attempt, held over three days in November, saw thousands of stackers from around the world compete for 30 minutes to set the record for the most people sport stacking in multiple locations. UCDSB students from Kemptville Public School, South Branch Elementary School, and Sweet's Corners Elementary School joined participants from Denmark, Spain, Japan and the United Kingdom.

The goal was to break the 2024 record of 752,632 stackers, and as of December 2, more than 776,000 participants had been verified on the Speed Stacks website.

"I was introduced to speed stacking a few years ago and was immediately hooked," said South Branch Health & Physical Education teacher Sarah Blackburn. "It's a fantastic activity for students of all abilities, helping develop coordination, reaction time and fine motor skills. It's a sport that also shows students that practice and perseverance lead to success."

A total of 461 students participated from Kemptville PS, 355 from South Branch ES, and 52 from Sweet's Corners ES in this All-In Sports initiative. Students rotated through a variety of stations to complete their 30 minutes, working on dexterity and hand-eye coordination.

One of the most popular stations was run by South Branch teacher Mme. Blackburn, where only a few students managed to beat their teacher's time.

"I challenged my students to beat my time, which was a blast for all of us," said Blackburn. "Many students told me it was the best day ever.'"

"It gave students of different ages a chance to work together, build confidence and have fun," added Sue Whitney from Sweet's Corners. "It's an exciting way to stay active, try something new and be part of a global record attempt."

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