Gurnee students put heart into jump rope fundraiser

More than 450 students jumped rope Wednesday at Spaulding School in Gurnee during the annual Jump Rope for Heart event to support the American Heart Association.

"We raise about $10,000 a year," physical education teacher Len Wojciechowicz said. "(Students) are learning the importance of their heart, how to take care of it, learning that it is a muscle and how much blood it pumps."

The school will hold an assembly Thursday to announce how much was raised in this year's event, recognize the top fundraisers and celebrate by spraying physical education teachers Wojciechowicz and Erik Sator with aerosol string.

"Jump roping is really fun," said kindergartner Kardell White. "Also, I liked that my mom was here."