Students at A.J. Jordak and Cardinal Intermediate School in Middlefield are jumping at the chance to fight heart disease and stroke, our nation’s number one and number four killers.
During a special assembly on Monday, January 26, 2015, students learned all about Jump Rope for Heart, an event that helps raise money for the American Heart Association while teaching students about the importance of physical activity, healthy habits and community service.
During Monday’s assembly, two groups of students, one from the first grade and one from the second grade, performed skits about healthy habits. The skits included student-made ducks that symbolized a healthy habit they will learn about during the month of February as part of their participation in the Jump Rope for Heart campaign.
School administrators say the need to educate children about the importance of healthy habits like physical activity couldn’t be timelier. Recent studies show about one-third of children ages 2 to 19 are overweight and obese.
“By including physical activity into their daily routines, kids can significantly reduce the onset and burden of heart disease,” says Tracy Behnke, Youth Marketing Director with the American Heart Association in Cleveland. “By raising money through Jump Rope for Heart, we are preventing heart disease and obesity for the next generation of Americans. Kids are literally jumping into a heart healthier life while becoming passionate about raising money for other kids with sick hearts.”
Students at JES and CIS will be jumping rope during Physical Education class throughout February to collect money for the campaign. For more information on donating or the Jump Rope for Heart campaign, visit www.heart.org/jump, or call the American Heart Association at 216-791-7500 or 1-800-AHA-USA1 (1-800-242-8721).
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