STUDENTS at Tarrington Lutheran School are doing their part to help raise funds for heart disease research through lacing up their sneakers and skipping for Jump Rope for Heart.
Run by the Heart Foundation, Jump Rope for Heart is a program that encourages kids to have a positive attitude towards exercise, healthy eating, and heart health, while raising funds to go towards heart disease research.
Now in its 40th year, Jump Rope for Heart are aiming to reach 40,000 hours of skipping across the country, with the students at Tarrington Lutheran School contributing towards this goal.
Tarrington Lutheran School principal, James Phillips, said the school often participated in Jump Rope for Heart and was delighted to be doing so again.
“Lutheran schools actively participate in service learning and so Tarrington Lutheran School has proudly partnered with the Heart Foundation each year,” he said.
“This opportunity enables our students, staff, parents and wider community to support a wonderful charity.”
Tarrington Lutheran School teacher and Jump Rope for Heart coordinator, Jane Crowe, said the students had shown a tremendous amount of support for the program and were very eager to reach their fundraising goal of $5000.
“The students are really enjoying it, they’re skipping every spare chance they get,” she said.
“Students are skipping during their PE classes, and during recess and lunch, after school, and many are skipping at home as well.”
Ms Crowe said the school was halfway through their six weeks of skipping and had already raised $2186, with regular awards given out to students to keep them motivated and acknowledge their efforts.
“Each week our fundraiser and skipper of the week are awarded for the most money raised, and most minutes skipped, which spurs on other students to try their best,” she said.
“Each student has an online portal for their individual fundraising.”
Mr Phillips said the community sat at the “core” of the school and he was blown away by the dedication the students were showing to skipping.
“Our community have been very supportive of the students and their fundraising efforts,” he said.
“In Lutheran schools, we celebrate the achievements, skills and abilities of all students and it is a privilege to weekly affirm the fundraising and skipping efforts at our weekly assembly.
“Tarrington Lutheran School students are taught to persevere and show resilience, and they actively seize opportunities to try new things.
“Last Friday, I witnessed some Foundation students skipping backwards and forwards, doing the alphabet and some Year 3 students were doing criss-cross and all kinds of tricks.
“These kinds of activities show how much energy our students put in to master skills.”
Aside from raising money to help fund research to improve heart disease prevention, detection, care and support, Jump Rope for Heart also teaches children about the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and being physically active.
