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Hilltop Elementary students jump to help others
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.A group of Hilltop Elementary School fourth-grade students attempted the long jump rope, during which the group tried to jump at the same time, during the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart Feb. 6.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.A group of fourth-grade students at Hilltop Elementary School were all smiles after they finished jumping during their gym class for the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart Feb. 6.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Two Hilltop Elementary School fourth-grade students teamed up to jump rope together during the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart Feb. 6.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.A Hilltop Elementary School fourth-grade student jumped rope during the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart Feb. 6.
By ABBY SLANKER
Hilltop Elementary School students participated in the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart by jumping rope during their scheduled gym classes the week of Feb. 2-6. While the students were jumping rope, they were also raising money for the American Heart Association.
Throughout the week, under the direction of Linda Magyar, Hilltop Elementary School physical education teacher, students in grades kindergarten through fourth grade learned about the importance of heart health while having a good time jumping rope and enjoying other activities, such as hula hooping, long jumping, vertical jumping and hopscotch.
Magyar also set up several stations for the students, including whiffle ball sticks, double dutch, mat jumping and long jump rope, where students tried to get as many kids as they could to jump at the same time. Music was also playing to help motivate the children.
“I wanted to incorporate as many activities as I could that involved jumping, aside from jumping rope. The kids like the variety and it really gets them moving. We want physical education to be fun and for the kids to know they have lots of options help them be physically active,” Magyar said.
Magyar also set up a rest station that the children could visit and get a drink if they need a little rest from all the jumping.
“The students are learning life-long heart healthy skills. My goal is to have these skills carry over to the rest of their lives,” Magyar said.
Last year, the students raised $9,489 for the American Heart Association.
The children earned thank you gifts from the American Heart Association based on how much they raised, including a jump rope, a T-shirt, a playground ball, a mini beamo, a portable capsule speaker and a smak-a-ball, with the top prize being a Zike Z150 scooter. The prizes were cumulative, so depending on how much a student raised, they received several prizes.
Hilltop PTO volunteers Becky Eaton and Deon Vrabel were on hand every day to help Magyar keep track of donations and tally them.