"Be Happy, Be Healthy; Be An Advocate"
by: Kris Fritz, WI AAHPERDr

The Early Learning (Pre K) Center in Sheboygan, WI successfully implemented the National and WI Presidential themes into its JUMP event in early December of 2007. Although most participants do not yet have rope jumping motor skills, they enthusiastically embraced a JUMP event designed to correspond to their physical skills and connect to a school wide activity during what is used as a Parent-Teacher-Child contact event. Children had read the book, "Gingerbread Man" by Brenda Parkes & Judith Smith in their classrooms. When they came to PA (physical activity/gym), facilitated by a retired Sheboygan Area School District Physical Education instructor, they engaged in walking, marching, skipping, galloping and running around an established course which illustrated parts of the book. Ms Kris previously worked on the motor skills and cognitive concepts of developing skills and healthy hearts. She altered the story ending slightly to reflect the fact that the Gingerbread Man escapes the fox, rather than be eaten by him, stressing that he and the children taking his part in the course run had strong minds and hearts so as to out think and out run the fox.

Children were given a tiny paper heart prior to each lap made upon the established course and upon completion of a lap, they put their heart into a collection box and received a new one for the next lap. This facilitated the counting of accumulated laps during the Gingerbread Run/JUMP activity during children's PA days. At the end of the PA days, Ms Kris counted the hearts and divided by seventeen (the number of laps equal to one mile in the basement facility) to determine how many miles had been run to "strengthen participant hearts."

This process was repeated on the evening and morning the Parent-Teacher-Child Gingerbread House making project was done in individual classrooms. Parents, children, siblings and even grandparents walked or ran, moving around the course, often multiple times while stuffing the collection box with tiny hearts and strengthening their own. Upon completion of the event, 210 miles had been covered on the course and all who took part were just a little bit healthier for having engaged in a fun event focusing upon healthy heart awareness.

Prior to the Gingerbread Run/JUMP event, parents had already been asked to donate supplies such as graham crackers and other items to help in the construction of Gingerbread Houses that children would make and then take home with them. The Principal was hesitant to send a second letter asking for JUMP donations. Thus, it was decided that for this first year initial Gingerbread Run/JUMP the school SET(school effectiveness team/site based management team) would make a donation to the WI chapter of the AHA. The decision was made to give $210, reflecting a dollar for each mile covered on the course.

Although in the larger scope of JUMP events, this money raised is relatively small, the foundations laid for educational value and for future participation as children progress through the grades is without limit.
The Early Learning Center is taking steps to improve the health of children and family members while supporting research and education for heart disease by means of their first JUMP event. The accompanying photos illustrate children and family members so engaged in the Gingerbread Run/ JUMP to strengthen their "hearts" and those of others.