Mound View Elementary students raise more than $21,000 during Kids Heart Challenge

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By LeAnn R. Ralph

ELK MOUND — Students at Mound View Elementary have raised more than $21,000 for the Kids Heart Challenge.

Eric Hanson, principal at Mound View, reported on the Kids Heart Challenge at the Elk Mound Board of Education’s February 19 meeting.

The Colfax Messenger contacted Jon Chisholm, physical education teacher at Mound View, for more information.

The Kids Heart Challenge was formerly known as Jump Rope for Heart, Chisholm said. 

The name of the fund raiser for the American Heart Association that is sponsored by schools across the country was changed to the Kids Heart Challenge in 2018, he said.

The students collect cash, checks or online donations for the American Heart Association. During the fund-raising effort, students can earn a variety of incentives for various levels of money raised, Chisholm said.

The incentives include Heart Heroes, a jump rope, a kickball, t-shirts and socks, he said.

At the conclusion of the fund raising, the students participate in a variety of heart healthy activities during their physical education classes, such as long rope jumping, tricks and skills with a short jump rope, rock wall climbing and basketball, he said.

This year, Mound View Elementary raised $21,903.90 for the American Heart Association. Last year, Mound View students raised $16,261, which was the previous best for fund raising until this year, Chisholm said.

“We surpassed our best year by over $5,000!” he said.

Mound View Elementary has participated in the Jump Rope for Heart/Kids Heart Challenge off and on for the past 30 years, since the 1993-1994 school year, Chisholm said.

Chisholm started as the physical education teacher at Mound View Elementary in 2011-2012, and the school has participated in the fund-raising event every year since then.

“Since 2011-2012, we have fund raised more than the previous year every year,” Chisholm said,  noting that over the past five years, Mound View Elementary students have raised over $70,000 for the American Heart Association

As an incentive, at the conclusion of the fund raising, the top five fund raisers can earn a lunch with Chisholm that is donated by Subway.

“We are very lucky to have such a generous and supportive community,” he said.

The Kids Heart Challenge has a positive effect on students even after the fund raiser is finished, too.

“Outside at recess, we have noticed more kids playing with jump ropes. Double dutch is making a comeback at recess as well as the single long jump rope,” Chisholm said.

Other business

In other business, the Elk Mound Board of Education:

• Learned that the Academic Excellence Scholarship has been awarded to Caroline Gabert, with Addison Young as the runner-up.

• Learned that the Technical Excellence Scholarship has been awarded to Gavin Sundeen. 

• Learned that Cindy Bourget, middle school guidance counselor, was a finalist for the National School Counselor of the Year sponsored by the American School Counselor Association. 

• Learned that ACT testing will take place March 26.

• Approved CESA 10 and CESA 11 service contracts with no new services added.

• Accepted the resignation of Stephanie Thortsen, food service.

Following a closed session, the Elk Mound Board of Education:

• Approved hiring Dave Lew as the assistant baseball coach.

• Approved hiring Patricia Sol as a part-time food service worker.

• Approved hiring Paige Schaefer as a speech therapy assistant.

• Approved hiring Wendy Perry as a para professional.

The Elk Mound Board of Education meets next on March 25.