Golden Grove Elementary Hosts 6th Annual “Jump Rope For Heart” Event
Students at Golden Grove Elementary jumped rope to raise funds for the American Heart Association. The main goal this year was to raise awareness and promote healthy eating habits and a healthy lifestyle. The funds raised are used to help fund cardiovascular disease research and public and professional education programs.
Students in Kindergarten to fifth grade (665), teachers, staff members and volunteers participated in the event. The students jumped for the chance to help fight heart disease and stroke, our nation’s number 1 and number 3 killers, respectively. Heart disease and heart defects have touched the lives of many of our students and faculty members this year. Golden Grove Elementary is privileged to help promote heart wellness and educating their students on how to maintain a healthy heart.
Ms. Cathlene Lake, Physical Education teacher at Golden Grove, coordinated the event and promoted it by infusing it into the curriculum. She incorporated health lessons into her daily sessions with the students and created visuals to better enable the students to comprehend the importance of maintaining a healthy heart.
Golden Grove had set a goal this year to collect $6,000.00. Ms. Lake waited patiently to get the final count after the event. Michelle Cooper, Senior Youth Market Director of American Heart Association said, “It takes a lot of time when you raise that much money!! The school should really be proud of this amazing accomplishment!”
The results were finally in and the goal was surpassed by collecting $6,572.00. By its 6th year of participation, the school has collected a grand total of $65,276. With the school not only reaching but surpassing its goal, it meant that the physical education teacher, Ms. Lake, would get slimed by the student who had collected the most money, and the class with 100% participation would be invited to attend the sliming ceremony. The sliming will be done by 5th grader, Griffin Yohn, and is scheduled to take place on April 22nd, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. Based on the students’ collection, they will receive “Thank You” gifts like bookmarkers and stickers, sports bottles, t-shirts, Walkaroo Stilts and much more.
“Certainly, it was Ms. Lake’s efforts and enthusiasm that made this Jump Rope for Heart Campaign so successful. Her spirit gave our Gators the energy they needed to jump over her original goal. Such results in this difficult economy are not only amazing but a credit to our generous Golden Grove community,” said Mrs. Kathryn Koerner, principal.
“We are overwhelmed by the response and support of our community, in reference to this initiative. The statistics regarding heart disease are alarming. Our Physical Education teacher, Ms. Lake has been able to bring awareness through educating our students about making healthy choices. Our school /community partnership is absolutely amazing! Kudos to Ms. Lake for coordinating this worthy school-wide event,” said Mrs. Linda Edgecomb, assistant principal.
Additionally, a special Thank You card was given to the local Subway shop for donating a platter of sandwiches for the Golden Grove volunteers.
Jump Rope for Heart is co-sponsored by the American Heart Association and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Jump Rope for Heart has been teaching kids the importance of a healthy heart for 31 years.
For more information contact Cathlene Lake at (561) 904-9715 or via e-mail at lakec@palmbeach.k12.fl.us or Michelle Cooper, American Heart Association Youth Market Director at (561) 967-6616
To view pictures please follow the link below.
Golden Grove Elementary Jump for Rope for Heart Pictures
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