State College students jump to fight heart disease

With the blast of the horn and blaring pop music, the ropes started swinging.

About 120 elementary-aged kids from schools across the State College Area School District filled the high school’s North Building gym Sunday for the district’s annual Jump Rope for Heart event. Children clad in every color imaginable bounced, skipped and stepped through jump ropes of equally bright colors.

Timed at 30 minutes, the jumpers were tasked with hopping through the entire half hour. Many worked in teams, switching off when they grew too tired. A few brave leapers attempted the feat solo.

Sunday marked the 16th year the district has participated in the American Heart Association-sponsored event, Gray’s Woods Elementary School physical education teacher Andy Lloyd said.

Lloyd has also coordinated the event since it started.

Each elementary school works with the heart association, he said, talking about the importance of preventing heart disease and stroke, but also working to raise money for the association.

He explained to the kids his own experiences with heart disease, as his niece was diagnosed with a hole in her heart at age 3. Thanks to the funds raised for the American Heart Association, she was able to get the issue fixed, and now, at age 15, she’s healthy.

Lloyd said he was confident the event has raised more than $30,000. Last year, the district came just short of hitting the $500,000 mark for the life of the event. With this year’s funds, the half-million mark has easily been surpassed.

Some students jumped at their respective schools prior to Sunday during regular physical education classes, he said. In total, about 400 students have helped raise funds for the event.

The donations are raised by the children, he said, who can raise through traditional check or cash donations or through online efforts. Many reach out through email to family, friends and even corporations to tally up the donations.

The Jump Rope for Heart event entered its 37th year, heart association youth market Director Nicole Swansinger said. Along with the rope jumping, the association provides teaching plans, posters and educational materials warning of the dangers of heart disease and how to prevent it.

“Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans, but it’s 80 percent preventable,” she said. “That’s why we work with the elementary kids to start doing those healthy lifestyle choices now and prevent the heart disease later.”

On top of being the only school district in central Pennsylvania that participates in the event, she said, four of the top fundraisers in central Pennsylvania — 178 schools in 13 counties — come from State College.

One of the top fundraiser for the district was Sienna Sullivan, 8, a third-grader at Radio Park Elementary School. According to Swansinger, Sienna raised $1,030.

The money was raised through emails to family and friends, said Sienna’s father, Mike Sullivan. The heart association provides templates to send out, and he worked with Sienna to tailor one specifically from her.

Maybe next year she’ll be old enough to go door-to-door, he said.

“We used it as an opportunity to teach her about giving back and how to help other children not as fortunate as she is,” said Sienna’s mother, Lynda Sullivan.

Sienna, while quiet, said the jumping was the toughest part, but it was fun. She was also glad to have friends to help her out.

This story was originally published February 7, 2016 at 9:51 PM with the headline "State College students jump to fight heart disease."