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Jump Rope For Heart and Hoops For Heart are national programs jointly sponsored by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) and the American Heart Association (AHA).

AAHPERD and AHA



Tips from Coordinators

 

Michelle Whittingham con't

 

The day of your event:

  • Set up your gym for the event. 
  • I run my event in stations.
  • Station 1 – Individual Jumping – have single jump rope for students to practice basic jump rope skills.  I use poly-spots or tape marks of the floor for students to jump on for rope safety.
  • Station 2 – Chinese jump rope – in a group of 3 students practice Chinese jump rope skills.
  • Station 3 – Health Fair – Students get to discover all of the items that you borrowed from the American Heart Association.  The stethoscopes are at the health fair station as well.  Make sure a volunteer is at this station to clean the scopes and insure the proper use of heath fair items.
  • Station 4 – Poster Contest – Make a class list that a volunteer can mark on for the poster votes.  The students will tell the volunteer which poster is his/her favorite by telling the volunteer the number of their favorite poster.  The volunteer will tally the votes at the end of the day.
  • Jump Rope Contest – for the last 3-4 minutes of class, have a "who can jump the longest?" contest.  I buy little prizes to hand out (jump ropes, heart note pads, pencils)
  • Collect donations – when the classes arrive to the gym have the art or music teacher collect the envelopes.  This teacher is the designated money counter.  He/she should have a volunteer to help enter the donation dollar amounts into the computer. 
  • For security purposes, do not have the volunteer count the money.  This should be the job of a teacher only.  Be sure to put money that is turned in prior to the event date in the school safe so that it is secure." 

 

Paula Shelden – MO AHPERD JRFH State Coordinator

 

"My very favorite tip for Jump Rope For Heart is a kick-off before or during the Jump Rope for Heart event.  The school staff and every student jump at the same time for 20 minutes.  Every student and staff member writes a name on a paper heart of the person he/she is jumping in honor of. We put all the hearts on a bulletin board.   This event always brings enthusiasm for our JRFH event!!!!!"

 

Gina Parker – IL AHPERD President-elect and JPC member

 

  1. "Start planning the next event as soon as the last is over.
  2. Take notes on what worked and what needs to be improved for the next year.
  3. Utilize parents and other volunteers but always send a thank you from you or have the students make them.
  4. Use student council to make homemade JRFH posters
  5. Never through an idea out remember it can be revised into a new idea
  6. Utilize all of the stores and local restaurants in town for extra prizes
  7. Use the PTA, PTO, PTSA to your full advantage ask them how they think they can help and have a list of ideas ready
  8. Advertise at your open house night at the beginning of the school year with what the events will be info about heart disease and the dates of the events."