Come on out to the Meridian Block party this Saturday (Sept. 17) from 10 AM – 5 PM at Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park in Meridian near the Village. From 2 PM – 4 PM there’s the talent tournament that I’ll be competing in doing my standard juggling show a few times. At about 3:30 PM I plan to attempt to set the Guinness World Record for “Longest Duration Balancing a Bicycle on a Chin” to promote STEM education and give kids a tangible example that if they set their mind to a goal and pursue it with a passion, they can accomplish anything. The current record is 2 minutes and 1 second.
Today on TODAY I found an opportunity to improve. It’s often called failure by folks in what Stanford Psychologist calls a fixed mindset. But in the growth mindset, a failure is an opportunity to learn and improve. I had 3 chances on national television and 1 off camera to attempt to break the blindfold speed juggling record, but I couldn’t keep the adrenaline rush from nerves under control. Adrenaline and fine motor control do not mix. I made it 50 seconds and 335 catches the last try (but needed to his 364 for the record… just needed a few more seconds).
Today Show Guinness World Record Attempt for STEM. Friday, Sept. 9th at 10AM. onNBC (KTVB channel 7 in Boise)
New York City, here I come! I’m taking STEM promotion on the road to the Big Apple to appear on the TODAY show. On Friday, Sept 9th during the 10AM slot (4th hour) with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford, I’m going to attempt to set a blindfold speed juggling Guinness World Record on the TODAY show to help illustrate that if you set your mind to a goal and pursue it with a passion, you can accomplish anything. (I should be on around 10:15 AM w/previews starting earlier. I think it shows 10AM in most local time zones).
It’s not about the juggling, it’s about inspiring students to pursue STEM education – which is hard, just like setting world records. One of the problems is that when students struggle, they think they don’t have the gift or the natural talent for math or science. But it’s not about having natural talent; it’s about hard work, believing in yourself and getting access to the resources you need to fulfill your potential.
Selfies 4 STEM – 7th Guinness World Record Attempt
On July 25, attend a day of free workshops and interactive experiences centered around 3D design with Tinkercad at Boise Centre on the Grove (convention center) AND be part of a Guinness World Record attempt.
You’ll also get a chance to not only witness but be part of setting a Guinness World Record at 12PM!
At noon I’ll attempt to set the Guinness World Record for most Selfies taken in 3 minutes. I’ll need at least 119 willing participants to take a picture with me, one at a time (preferably 150+). I watched Dwane “The Rock” Johnson set this record earlier this year (105) and Taylor Lautner fail to break it (101). I’m convinced that thinking about the problem in a new way and coming up with a better operational/engineering “design” is the key to not only beating the record but crushing the current record (118). (Hint: There is only 1 line for each of them and the cameras they’re using are not the best).
This is the one that comes with the coolest title of my 6 Guinness World Records. I’m still in denial: it doesn’t seem real, or even possible. There are so many jugglers far more talented and experienced than me… then again, they’re probably spending time practicing much more interesting things. According to Guinness World Record rules, I’m now the fastest juggler in the world with 3 balls (which has more catches than any other number of balls). I guess that means I have a legitimate claim (one of many) to the title: World’s Fastest Juggler.
Idaho’s Got Talent was a fun event run by KIZN radio 92.3. I made it to the top 20 to perform in the live finals. Then I qualified for the top 5 where I set the record in my live stage performance (live performances on stage with a time limit up the pressure 100-fold). I even got it on the first try which is the first time I’ve done that for a speed record. I only beat the previous record of 422 by 6 catches because my heart was about to explode from the adrenaline rush after I got about 30 seconds in. I ultimately finished 4th this year after finishing as the runner up last year (on a tiebreak).
Idaho’s Got Talent Top 5 Finalists and MCs
I hope I was able to get my message across that you can accomplish anything if you set your mind to it, work hard, and pursue it with a passion – including math and science.
On Saturday, June 4th I’ll be competing in the finals of Idaho’s Got Talent at the Village at Meridian form 11 AM – 1 PM. For my act finale, I’ll be attempting to set the Guinness World Record for Most Juggling Catches in a Minute (3 balls). It’s my most ambitious record attempt yet, as it would give me a legitimate claim to the title of “World’s Fastest Juggler”. The current record is 422 catches in 1 minute (over 7 per second!). My 4 and 5 ball speed records are 408 and 370 catches in a minute respectively.
As always, I’ll be talking about the importance of STEM and how if students set their mind on a goal and pursue it with a passion, they can accomplish anything.
Today I set my 5th Guinness World Record at the inaugural FIRST Robotics regional competition in Taco Bell Arena at Boise State. You’d think by now that the nerves wouldn’t get to me, but they still do. On my fifth try I had a 49.6 second run with 364 catches to beat the minimum Guinness threshold of 250.
There were hundreds of students competing with some very impressive robots vying for a spot at the national competition. FIRST is an amazing program that promotes STEM education through robotics, mentorship and gracious professionalism.
Lots of MIT connections: Don Bosse is the FIRST President and MIT alum, VP of development Mark Giordono is an MIT alum, and of course co-founder of FIRST, Woodie Flowers, was a longtime professor of 2.007 which is what FIRST was modeled after. I did the e to the u du dx cheer for them. Before setting the record, I told Jennifer’s story of getting involved with FIRST and how it inspired her to become and mechanical engineer and go off to MIT (and I’m so glad she did, since she’s far and away the best thing I got out of MIT)! And now she’s a walking, talking, woman in STEM success story.
Boise is hosting its first FIRST Robotics Regional competition at the Taco Bell Arena at BSU next weekend. It’s basically a competitive sporting event for academics. On April 2nd, after the 9AM morning rounds and before the Alliance selection (right before lunch), I’ll be talking to these motivated high school students about the importance of working hard, maintaining a positive mindset and some of the setbacks I once faced in a robot competition.
I’ll then attempt a Guinness World Record to claim title to the World’s Fastest Blindfolded Juggler. “Most juggling catches in a minute blindfolded (three balls)”.
The event is free and open to the public. Come watch these students and their robots compete and catch the juggling show around 10:45.
This record combines elements from two other records: blindfold and speed. It’s also the first record I’ll be attempting that’s new to Guinness (meaning there isn’t a person’s record I’m trying to beat, just a baseline of 250 catches in a minute). That makes sense, as there are probably only a handful of people in the world who can regularly juggle for a full minute blindfolded, let alone fast.
Tonight we raised over $20K for the Idaho STEM Action Center!
I set a 4th Guinness World Record in the process. Longest chainsaw balance on the chin: 3 minutes 1 second, beating the old world record by over a minute. I shared about how I had no coding experience before I got to MIT and how Jennifer decided to become a mechanical engineer in part due to FIRST Robotics. Then I asked for money to support 2 related STEM initiatives.
Thanks to the team: Witnesses: Lt. Governor Brad Little. Idaho State Board of Education Member David Hill. Delta Dental IT Director Cory Vaughn. Consultant for Idaho Secretary of State Chad Houck. MC Johnna Johnson from KBOI 2 News. Timers: Jack Ward from the YMCA and Mike Beacham from Idaho Power. Video: Becky Beacham, Photography: Jennifer Rush
