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Pupils get a jump on fundraising
Stadium Drive pupils raised more than $3,000 through the event.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
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BOARDMAN — Tyler Dietz, 9, was born with a congenital heart condition and underwent multiple surgeries as an infant and toddler. Now he jumps rope, shoots baskets and hula hoops alongside his classmates at Stadium Drive Elementary School.
The school participated Friday in Jump Rope for Heart to benefit the American Heart Association and the school.
Pupils collected money from friends and family for the event for the association, and the school receives physical education equipment and educational materials for participating.
The kids jumped rope as many times as they could in one minute, shot baskets in a game called Knock Out and whirled the hula hoop to raise funds.
“From the time he was 3 months old until he was 31⁄2, Tyler had three open-heart surgeries,” said his mother, Amy.
Sometimes when Tyler wears a V-neck shirt, younger children ask about his scar.
“I tell them that I had open-heart surgery and I tell them the doctors cut me open and put a [tube] in me,” said Tyler, a third-grader.
He acts as a heart ambassador at the school, telling other children about what he’s overcome.
He tells them that he’s doing well now. He visits a cardiologist at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh annually and also sees a cardiologist in Boardman.
Tyler plays baseball in the spring and logged 25 jumps in Friday’s event.
Fourth-grader Noah Land, 9, isn’t a big fan of jumping rope, but he dunked several baskets during the basketball portion of the event.
Third-graders Emily Adorno and Gianna Kocsis, both 8, racked up 60 and 75 jumps, respectively.
“It’s very fun,” Emily said.
Fourth-grader Dante Colaluca, 10, jumped the rope 120 times during the one-minute session.
“It was fun,” he said.
Fourth-grader Elizabeth Chiarello, 9, appeared to exert little effort as she expertly hula-hooped. During her turn at the jump rope, she hopped 83 times to earn the money she collected from family members.
Teacher Janet Douds said the children earn prizes including T-shirts, games and water bottles, based on donations they receive.
The school raised more than $3,000 with this year’s event.
Many of the children enjoy jumping rope, and it allows them to practice for a track and field event at the end of the school year, Douds said. In that event, like the heart association activity, participants try to jump as many times as they can in one minute.
Even Jim Goske, school principal, joined the fun.
“When he was a fourth-grader, he jumped 154 times in one minute,” Douds said. “It’s in our records.”
As principal, Goske wowed the pupils with his jumping prowess.
“Go Mr. G, go Mr. G,” the children chanted.
“Oh my gosh, look at him,” one little boy exclaimed as Goske jumped 164 times during one try.
denise_dick@vindy.com