A Hawk's Eye View - March 6, 2026

4/14/2026

Harding Community,

On Thursday, March 12, Harding Academy will host our annual Jump and Hoop It Up event. This beloved tradition spans more than 20 years and began in support of the American Heart Association’s Jump for Heart initiative. Over time, the event has evolved to include student-written essays that highlight organizations meaningful to our students and their families, making the experience even more personal and impactful.

In past years, Jump and Hoop It Up has supported organizations such as Unbound, Blind Early Services Tennessee (BEST), Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), and St. Jude’s, to name only a few.

This year’s winning essay was written by Zoe Johnson ‘26, and the selected organization is Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance (S&PAA). Students may wear Harding spirit wear on Thursday, March 12, and are encouraged to wear silver, the awareness color for schizophrenia.

The Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance conducts research on cures and conditions of people suffering from mental illness. The S&P Action Alliance launched their research program in 2020 and is an organization dedicated to advocacy, education, and support for individuals and families dealing with serious mental health disorders. The research and conversations done through S&PAA helps make people with mental health issues a larger priority and allows S&PAA to put more support towards the treatments they offer. The S&PAA also has support groups for the families of those patients affected with severe mental health issues. These allow people to have a safe community and be able to gain a better understanding of what life for the patient will look like and how family members can help.

Fundraising for this event is strictly voluntary. All students will participate in Jump and Hoop It Up regardless of whether funds are raised. We are proud to call this year’s event Jump and Hoop It Up for Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance.

Donations may be made by cash or check and turned in to classroom teachers or advisors any time before, or on, the day of the event. Please place donations in a sealed envelope labeled with your child’s name and homeroom teacher or advisor. Checks should be made payable to: Harding Academy. The deadline for donations is the morning of the event, March 12.

Donations may also be made through Venmo (@Harding_Academy). Please include Jump and Hoop It Up in the notes section.

We warmly welcome families to attend the event. Event times are listed below:

PreK: 8:35–8:55 AM
Kindergarten: 8:55–9:25 AM
First Grade: 9:30–10:00 AM
Second Grade: 11:00–11:30 AM
Third Grade: 11:35 AM–12:05 PM
Fourth Grade: 10:10–10:50 AM
Fifth–Eighth Grades: 12:30–2:00 PM

Lunch will be available for Grades 5–8 students through the concession stand. Students who wish to purchase lunch should bring $5-10 on the day of the event. Pizza will be available for $3 per slice.

CONCESSIONS are CASH ONLY.

The Student vs. Faculty Basketball Game will follow from 2:00–3:00 PM.

If you have any questions about Jump and Hoop It Up, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Amanda Millikan at millikana@hardingacademy.org.

We look forward to your child’s participation in this meaningful Harding tradition.

Sincerely,

Amanda Millikan, Zach Glotta, Dana Channel, Travis Fravel, Jason Embry, Corby Lucas

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