Bethany kids jump rope to benefit heart association

Bethany Lutheran students are a hop, skip and a jump closer to living healthy lifestyles.

The entire Naperville school participated this week in the American Heart Association's Jump Rope/Hoops for Heart, learning about fitness and raising money for the group's research.

"If you move and you eat well and have fun with your friends, that all incorporates into a healthy lifestyle, which then gives you a stronger body, a stronger mind and a stronger spirit," said physical education teacher Angie McKissick, who coordinated the events with seventh-grade teacher Rob Johnson.

The Jump Rope for Heart event took place Monday with students in preschool through fourth grade who rotated through stations such as jumping rope, hopscotch and bouncing on a trampoline.

On Tuesday, the fifth- through eighth-graders had their turn with Hoops for Heart. They jumped rope, played basketball and sharpened their dance moves with Dance Dance Revolution.

Fifth-grader Ellie Hahn moved her feet in time with the music as she tried to keep up with the animated figures in the Dance Dance Revolution video game.

"I love basketball so I love doing the hoop-shooting, and the dancing is really fun," she said.

Nearby, classmate Ian Barnard was trying to see how many times he could hop over a plastic ball tethered to his ankle.

"It gets you exercise for the day, gets your heart going and it keeps you healthy," Ian said.

Coronary disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., and almost 950,000 Americans die of cardiovascular diseases or stroke each year, according to the American Heart Association.

Among children and adolescents, 15 percent are overweight.

In addition to learning about healthy habits, students raised $3,500 for the American Heart Association.

"We try to help them not only be citizens of our school and our town and our state, but also of our country and mankind," McKissick said. "So they know they're helping raise money for a really good organization."