These kids showed they have lots of heart.
More than 300 students at PS 197 skipped, jumped rope, and hula-hooped to raise money for the American Heart Association Feb. 27.
“We do different things to get their hearts pumping and their bodies jumping,” said physical education teacher Marc Goldstone.
The fund-raiser — called Jump for the Heart — has kids collect donations and then spend an afternoon doing heart-healthy exercise, he said.
So far, PS 197 has raised $3,500 — $500 more than its goal, Goldstone said.
International basketball player Aaron Bilderese visited the school’s older cohort on Feb. 28 to talk bout keeping active to stay healthy.
PS 197 has been participating in the program for more than 20 years, said physical education teacher Lucille Mauro.
Mauro took over the yearly fund-raiser when teacher Iris Graham-Schwartz retired and asked her to take up the reigns two decades ago, Mauro said.
The event is close to Mauro’s heart.
“Both my parents died of heart disease, so there’s a connection there,” she said.
