Every four years in February there is one more day in the month. That year that it happens, it is called a leap year. When there is a leap year, instead of 365 days in a year there are 366 days in a year! The extra day that leap year has adds February 29. This is because it takes the Earth 365.25 days to revolve around the Sun. Every four years the extra ¼ year adds up to one whole year that we must account for in our calendar. 

 One of the questions asked was…  “If someone’s birthday is on leap day, how old do they count themselves to be?” Cameron Stumpf and Lily Tyler asked.

“For me, I say I am as old as how many birthdays I’ve had,” Miss Nancy, the Freedom Middle School custodian, said. Miss Nancy’s birthday is on Feb. 29. Around the world, there are about five million people that share their birthday on Leap Day! 

Leap year was established officially in 1582, with the Gregorian calendar. The next leap year will take place in 2024. The date is February 29, 2024.    

There is one in 1,461 chance of a baby being born on leap day. The term “leap year”  probably comes from the fact that a fixed date in the Gregorian calendar normally advances one day a week from one year to the next.