Video: Kids Break World Record at Air & Space Annex

Image: Rec-PAC participants on the lawn Thursday at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly (Fairfax County Park Authority).

Children and adults in a summer camp program set a Guinness World Record on Thursday morning for making a friendly greeting: the heart-shaped hand gesture.

At the stroke of 11 o’clock, a total of 1,249 participants made the gesture on the lawn of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum Annex, also known as the Udvar-Hazy Center. They shattered the old record of 554 gestures, says the Fairfax County Park Authority, which organized the event.

The event in Chantilly was a rally against bullying, and it brought together children from across the county who participate in Rec-PAC, the park authority’s summer camp. Also on hand were 42 volunteers, ranging from teachers, bus drivers, police officers, firefighters to local residents.

The people who run Guinness World Records approved the record-breaking attempt, but the organizers had to carefully document the number of participants, the time the attempt took place and other data, as shown in a YouTubr video released Friday by the park authority.

Rec-PAC (Pretty Awesome Children) is a six-week structured recreation program designed for elementary school children. Participants enjoy a variety of activities, such as fun and fitness, indoor and outdoor games, team sports, nature, crafts, storytelling, sports festivals, talent shows and supervised play sessions. Each location has a ratio of one staff person to 18 participants.