Are you interested in hosting a Jump Rope for Heart Event? Here are some suggestions:

1. Use the entire student population (or as much as possible.) Sample strategies for involving more students include: faculty participating, different grade levels competing, offering students and faculty incentives (e.g. using P.E. class time), involving parents, and holding the event in conjunction with other events (e.g. a student-faculty basketball game).

2. Properly motivate the participants. Although many motivators are extrinsic, they are important. Provide a heart-healthy snack, use a special location (such as the coliseum), invite a DJ or other special guests, ask for donations from local businesses, create a memory or tribute wall of relatives and friends who are affected by heart disease and stroke, invite a heart attack or stroke survivor to share their story, and involve other teachers who can help create poems, stories, or songs.

3. Connect to other school or community happenings. Schedule in conjunction with heart month or Valentine's Day, coordinate with physical education units of jump rope or basketball, and use your event to help satisfy SOLs.

4. Advertise and promote. The American Heart Association will help by providing banners, flyers, and paperwork. Invite the paper or write an article and send pictures to the newspaper.

5. Invite a state demonstration team to your school. Contact Kathy Gay for information at kathycgay@att.net or phone number (434) 286-4649 .

Is there a demo team in your area?

Qwenesta White - Royal Dutches - Norfolk 757 480-4400

Martha Huggins - Annandale Terrace Jumpers - Annandale 703 256-1400

Gail Kingrey - Swingers - Chesterfield - 804 674-1310

Jason Tresidder - Lightning Leapers - Winchester 540 869-1657

Bette Seymore - Bouncing Tigers - Yorktown 757 898-0372