Heart Challenge Ends in a Slime Assembly
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Mrs. Courtney Bell, the physical education teacher at Meadowlark Elementary School is leading students in the Kids Heart Challenge, a program of the American Heart Association. Once the pledges are counted and winners determined, school officials will hold a Slime Assembly to celebrate on Monday, February 17 at 2:30 p.m.
The heart health program was introduced on February 3 and will end on February 14. The Kids Heart Challenge offers several physical activities to get students’ hearts pumping. Bell has integrated three of these into her PE classes: dancing, jumping rope, and basketball dribbling and shooting. In addition to practicing these physical activities, students will learn how the heart works and how to keep the heart healthy. They will also collect donations door-to-door or online through the Kids Heart Challenge page for Meadowlark Elementary School (MES).
On Tuesday morning after only one day of being active, the MES team had accumulated $247.34 to benefit children facing heart-health issues. By Friday evening, the Heart Healthy Heroes had earned $538.25.
According to Bell, the Slime Assembly is a celebration for the Heart Health Challenge. During the assembly, students will be demonstrating some jump rope, basketball, and dancing skills learned or practiced over the previous two weeks. The top ten students who have earned the most donations for the American Heart Association will get to slime a person of their choice.
“Volunteers to be slimed are high school athletes and Meadowlark staff. A few volunteers from both girls’ and boys’ basketball, volleyball, football, wrestling and cheerleading will be here, but because of schedules and such, I won’t know for sure until that day who will come,” Bell said.
From information revealed on the American Heart Association website, the Kids Heart Challenge is a program rooted in proven science. Research has shown that youth who are regularly active have a better chance of a healthy adulthood. In addition to improved physical health, the benefits of physical activity for children include better grades, as well as improved school attendance and classroom behavior. Physical activity can also improve mental health, build self-esteem, and decrease and prevent conditions such as anxiety and depression. As such, the Kids Heart Challenge focuses on whole body wellness.
“Schools are a critical link in providing the foundation for cardiovascular wellness in our country by encouraging students to develop healthy habits at an early age. The Kids Heart Challenge helps students learn about heart health and find fun ways to stay physically active,” claims Tanya Edwards, Executive Vice President of Community Development and Health for the American Heart Association.
Funds raised by Kids Heart Challenge participants support the American Heart Association’s scientific research and outreach programs, paving the way for technological breakthroughs to improve health outcomes while creating healthier communities.
