Goddard schools try for Guinness record with ‘Simon Says’

ROUND LAKE – At 11:50 a.m. Sept. 23, 81 students at the Goddard School in Round Lake followed the directions of school owner Kim Burnett as she led them in a practice game of Simon Says.

Ten minutes later, the children joined hundreds of other youngsters enrolled at Goddard Schools across the nation in the “follow-the-leader” style game, as the Goddard School organization attempted to beat the world record for the largest Simon Says game ever played.

“As you get older, you will hear about the Guinness Book of World Records all the time … and your participation will go down in history,” owner John Burnett told the children before he led them in the official game of Simon Says, which started at noon. “It’s a very big deal.”

In June 2007, 12,215 participants played Simon Says at the Utah Summer Games Opening Ceremony in Cedar City, Utah.

That record still stands, unless the Goddard Schools were successful in their attempt.

Official paperwork is due to corporate headquarters Friday, Sept. 30, and the schools should find out if they broke the record shortly thereafter, said Carrie Stanek, director of the Goddard School in Round Lake.

However, for students, the game was much more down-to-earth and personal.

Preschooler Jessica Mullins, kindergartners Mya Malfait and Alex McCan and second-grader Kaya Filimon were the last four to remain in the game, but it was McCan who came away the winner.

“I listened really good,” the 5-year-old said, after taking a picture with John Burnett; Mike Deney, vice president of Gurnee Community Bank, who was a witness for the event; and Round Lake Mayor Jim Dietz.

“It was the most exciting Simon Says I’ve ever seen,” Dietz said. “And I think the kids stumped Simon a couple of times, too.”

“These are the types of things that make us different from the KinderCares of the world,” John Burnett said. “It’s the things the kids go home and talk about.”