The Juvenile Urban Multicultural Program (JUMP Nation) held its first ever Jump ’N Out event last Sunday in Old Union Hall.

Inspired by the sketch comedy and rap battle improv show, “Wild ’N Out,” the competition featured performances from participants representing an array of campus organizations, as well as music and food.

JUMP Nation is a student-run nonprofit organization founded to help decrease the high school dropout rate through mentoring and providing at-risk middle school students with tools to overcome the socioeconomic barriers associated with college enrollment. Proceeds from ticket sales went toward JUMP Weekend ’24, a program in which college students act as mentors and guide middle school students through games and workshops related to higher education. During the weekend, eighth graders from New York City and the greater Binghamton area are brought to Binghamton University.

John Cepeda, one of JUMP Nation’s fundraisers and a sophomore majoring in human development, and Jocelyn Ghanney, JUMP Nation president and a sophomore double-majoring in integrative neuroscience and human development, described how JUMP Weekend ’24 is expected to be the biggest since COVID-19, including over 100 eighth grade students. Cepeda and Ghanney, JUMP Weekend ’18, are both proteges of the program themselves.

“Our goal for every penny we raise is to continually increase not only the number of kids we bring up every year, but also the quality of their stay,” Cepeda wrote in an email. “We want these kids to see [BU] and get excited about school so we would love to provide them with the best possible experience [the University] has to offer during those four days.”

Participants in the event included Pretty Girls Sweat (PGS), The Black Student Union (BSU), The Latin American Student Union (LASU), the Student Association (SA), the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), the Thurgood Marshall Pre-Law Society (TMPS), the Haitian Student Association (HaSA), the Men of Color Scholastic Society (MCS2), the Dominican Student Association (DSA) and the African Student Organization (ASO).

Representatives from each participating organization were split into a red team — captained by Alaysia Hamilton, a sophomore majoring in human development — and a black team, captained by Alfred Taveras, a senior double-majoring in English and graphic design. Each team competed in a series of friendly competitions to win the inaugural championship belt.

The event began by introducing the JUMP Nation E-Board, as well as the hosts of the event — Fathia Muhammed, a senior majoring in political science, and Christopher Onyezie, a junior majoring in human development. The red and black teams then each participated in three main rounds of competition — Rizz Games, where participants attempted to “out-rizz” each other, Talk and Spit, a game requiring the person in the hot seat to hold water in their mouth as their opponent attempted to successfully make them laugh and Kick ’Em Out the Classroom, a rap battle style competition. The red team came out victorious in the end.

Daisy Calvario Velasco, co-public relations chair for JUMP Nation and a junior majoring in human development, further emphasized the impact the money raised at this event will have on their organization.

“We could really use that money for sleeping bags, so that the students we bring won’t have to spend that money out of pocket,” Calvario Velasco wrote. “We want to be able to use the money to provide more services and opportunities for students that we bring for the weekend.”

Cepeda and Ghanney also expressed gratitude for the various multicultural organizations on campus that contributed to the success of the event and allowed them to get different representations on stage for the competition. They explained that JUMP Nation thrives off of the support from the multicultural community at BU, and they are always thankful and appreciative.

Brianna Jules, a sophomore majoring in computer science who attended the event, highlighted the unique nature of the event and the importance of the fundraising cause.

“The event was very different,” Jules said. “I know they usually do a banquet, so this is new, unique and never seen before. I think it’s really great that they’re giving back to the community and helping kids around the city, and I’m so happy that I am able to contribute to that mission.”