Gulfport High Teens Jump Off 5 Story Bldg. with Fire Dept.

Gulfport High School teenagers jumped off of a five story tower early Wednesday morning as part of a partnership with the Gulfport Fire Department.

Fifty feet may not seem like much from the ground, but when you’re dangling above the asphalt by a nylon rope, you begin to appreciate the sacrifices firefighters make every day. Zylah Graves, a senior at Gulfport High, says, "They’re saving someone else’s life so they put themselves aside to do other things for other people."

Students from the Academic Institute at Gulfport High had the chance to experience high angle rescue training, which as they found out, isn’t for everyone. Ariel Smith, another senior at Gulfport High, says, "I kind of wanted to be a firefighter, but now I don’t, but it was a great experience."

While Smith didn’t find her life’s calling, she, like many others, learned a lot about overcoming challenges and adversity. Jack Cordray, AP Chemistry & Science for Health and Human Services teacher at Gulfport High, says, "It’s just amazing to watch them struggle and work through it on their own, and then when they get to the bottom, the looks on their faces when they succeeded. I could not replicate that in the classroom."

Climbing down a five story building is nothing to the Gulfport Fire Department, but for these students, it’s an exercise in overcoming fear. Michael Beyerstedt, Gulfport Fire Chief, says, "It’s not natural to want to jump off the top of a perfectly good building, so it’s neat to see them overcome those fears and come down the side." The students faced their fears and tell News 25 about the hardest part. Smith says, "Actually falling back, nobody wants to fall back on a five story building."

Graves also says, "The hardest part was coming over the rail and going down the wall was like walking on thin air." Reginald Harper, another senior, says, "I was tempted to walk down the building instead of just letting my body go down."

Lakaija Alexander says, "Getting over the rail, because you had to push your body up and then bring it over."

Alajah Parker says, "Like she said, it was hard getting over the rail but that was it. It was fun for me."

Many students in the program have found an interest in law enforcement or fire safety, including one who is currently an intern with the Gulfport Fire Department and hopes to become a full time firefighter this summer.