Churchville Elementary School physical education teacher Brooke Elnicky has been coordinating the school’s Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart programs since she joined the district nine years ago. The Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) recently recognized her commitment to physical education and contributions to these American Heart Association (AHA) initiatives with their Jump Rope for Heart/Hoops for Heart (JRFH/HFH) grant.
The $2,500 grant supports professional development and provides funds to purchase school equipment. Elnicky plans to use the stipend to purchase heart rate monitors, which will be easier for her younger students to use. As part of the grant, she will also attend the SHAPE America National Conference this March in Boston, Massachusetts.
“This is really exciting for me,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to get new ideas, to meet the best of the best in my profession, from all over the country. It will be a reinvigorating experience.”
In 2016, Churchville Elementary raised a record $18,456 during their Hoops for Heart event — more than any other elementary school in the state. The program promotes physical education and provides children with knowledge of heart disease and stroke. The funds raised go toward cardiovascular disease and stroke research and health education.
“It’s wonderful to see children develop empathy for others through their involvement in this activity,” she said. “They are learning to help other people while they are having fun and forming healthy habits.” The school held a variety of school-wide heart health events February 13 through 17 as part of American Heart Month.
The Society of Health and Physical Educators is the nation’s largest membership organization of health and physical education professionals. It is committed to ensuring all children have the opportunity to lead healthy, physically active lives.
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