They’re hopping, they’re skipping, they’re jumping. Students at more than 60 elementary, middle and high schools across Northwest Arkansas are having fun moving their bodies and getting their hearts pumping. Plus they’re earning benefits for their schools and giving back to their community. It’s all part of the American Heart Association’s new Kids Heart Challenge™, and it’s happening now, in February, which is American Heart Month.
The Kids Heart Challenge™ helps kids learn about heart health while having fun. They pledge to be more physically active, drink more water and do a good deed.
“Kids Heart Challenge encourages heart-healthy habits from the very beginning. Starting habits early often results in sticking with them as children get older,” said Tracy Davenport, American Heart Association-NWA youth market director. “The Kids Heart Challenge teaches those lessons but does so in a way that’s fun and creates memories that will last a lifetime.”
“Our goal is not only healthy hearts, but happy hearts,” Tracy added.
While learning lessons about how to take care of their own hearts, students will be raising funds to help children with ‘special hearts’. Eight of every 1,000 children in the United States is born with a congenital heart defect.
Money raised by the Kids Heart Challenge™ will help the American Heart Association to help kids and others live longer, healthier lives.
Kids will be jumping rope, playing basketball, dancing and doing obstacle courses at school. Every activity gives kids a chance to get moving for healthy hearts and raise money to help others too.
Is your school participating in the Kids Heart Challenge™? Have your adult tell us about it on the Official Kids Mag Facebook page!
Congenital
The word “congenital” (pronouncedkuhn-jen-i-tl) means a condition that exists at birth. A congenital heart defect happens when a person’s heart, or the blood vessels
near the heart, don’t develop normally before someone is born. Sometimes kids don’t find out they have a congenital heart defect until later in life, when it causes a problem with their health.
Click here to learn more about “sprouting a healthier generation”!
By Karen Rice