By Teh Jen Lee

But 10-year-old Kong Minji, a Korean student at Eunos Primary School, pushed herself to skip for another four minutes and managed to accomplish over 300 skips in total.

She was taking part in the South East Community Development Council's Skipping Challenge (Kids' Series).

This campaign, which was launched yesterday by Mayor Matthias Yao, is targeted at the district's primary schools.

It will engage over 3,000 students to contribute their skips, sweat, and goodwill in exchange for food hampers.

Every 500 skips accumulated by the schools will translate into a donation of one food hamper worth close to $60 for a needy student.

Each hamper comprises Nestle-sponsored products such as canned coffee, Milo packs and instant cup noodles.

By accumulating skips schoolwide, students will earn these hampers for fellow schoolmates who are needy.

Minji, a Primary 4 pupil, said: 'I felt a little nervous because I wanted to donate a lot so I wanted to be able to skip as much as possible. I pushed myself by thinking to myself this is for the students who are needy.'

Her father, Mr Kong Jin, 42, a businessman, was surprised to hear how many skips she accomplished.

At the end of the month-long campaign, 744 hampers worth $45,000 in total will be redeemed through an ambitious cumulative target of 372,000 skips set by the schools.

The hampers will be channelled equally to needy students in these schools.

The kids' skipping challenge is a prelude to the annual district-wide South East Skipping Challenge which will take place in the middle of this year.

South East CDC general manager Terence Ho said that the skipping campaign had galvanised residents, schools, corporate partners and well-wishers on a cause to celebrate fitness, friendship and camaraderie.

'It also provides a platform for the community to do their part for the needy,' he added.

This article was first published in The New Paper on Jan 14, 2009.