Breaking the Burpee World Record

The Purpose of Project Grooming Leaders:

To groom the next generation of global leaders by donating funds in efforts to build better schools in Peru and South Carolina. We will be able to benefit Ware Shoals High School, providing their grassroots cross-country team with clothing and equipment. Another school we will be helping is the Seeds of Hope school in Huaraz, Peru. We will provide them academic materials, clothing and personal hygiene products. We will also establish a pen pal program, giving students at both schools the opportunity to learn about each other and to improve their language skills and enrich their cultural knowledge.

More About Project Grooming Leaders:

I, Cameron Dorn, am dedicating my body and soul to training to beat the Guinness Book of World Records in efforts to raise $10,000 to donate to Ware Shoals and Seeds of Hope. The record? Besting 7,684 burpees in 24 hours. My personal goal: to complete 10,000 burpees. That's right, I'm going to complete one burpee for every dollar I will donate to help groom the next generation of leaders. To build a better world we must educate our youth and fuel their competitive fires so they may prosper in their journey into adulthood.

Founding Project Grooming Leaders:

While at Ware Shoals I read a book entitled "The Greatest Generation." This story tells of Americans born in the 1920's who went through the Great Depression and then went on to fight in World War II. These heroes returned to America and stimulated our economy and education system. Their work ethic was so steadfast that they would break their back to reach a goal. This work ethic has inspired me to go after the burpee world record and risk breaking my back to make a difference in the lives of kids around the world.

I want to inspire people to pursue their goals with the same zest and enthusiasm that the greatest generation of America valiantly displayed. My dream is to help people and be by their side as they take that first step in seeing their dreams come to fruition. Because the biggest help in achieving my dreams was the help and support of my family and friends. Without them, my dreams of pursuing a higher education, traveling the world, and becoming a national champion athlete would seem even more impossible. But because of my support system and my hard work, all those dreams became a reality.

In 2013, after working several years in the professional arena, I was able to take a sabbatical and spend five months traveling the world. I trekked through Spain, Nepal, Morocco, Burma and New Zealand among other places and was enlightened by the cultural experiences. The most meaningful moments of the trip occurred while I volunteered at an orphanage in Thailand. Witnessing the enthusiasm and gratitude the children exhibited instilled within me a need to spread that joy in my hometown and during my travels. My life is now committed to helping others find the best in themselves no matter their situation.

Upon returning home, I was asked to speak at local schools and to organizations about my experiences. Late in 2013, one of the engagements allowed me to speak to my alma mater's first ever cross-country team. While spending time with the team, I realized that these kids exhibited the same optimism and positive nature of the kids I encountered throughout my travels. When I saw that one runner on the Ware Shoal's team was running in Converse All-Stars while managing a fast 5k, I realized that I needed to do more than just provide a motivational speech.

I started to think about how I could help these kids. So I thought big, I thought outside the box and about what had never been accomplished before. And because I wanted to create a movement that would have global impact for many years, I contacted the Guinness Book of World Records about possibly challenging one of their records. My hope is that the children reached by Project Grooming Leaders efforts may also one day find themselves in the Guinness Book of World Records.