HOUSTON, Sept. 27, 2018 — Students in elementary schools across Greater Houston and around the country have a new way to move their bodies toward heart health, earn benefits for their schools and give back to their community this school year. The American Heart Association today announced details of its new Kids Heart Challenge™, which includes jump rope, basketball, dance and warrior (obstacle course) components. The Kids Heart Challenge™ marks the Association’s 40th year working in schools and meets the changing needs of today’s youth and educators by preparing kids for success through physical and emotional well-being.

AHA’s Vice President for Houston’s Youth Market Samantha Fewell said, “Kids Heart Challenge is an excellent opportunity for students to engage in service learning that supports school’s efforts to prepare kids for success by being physically healthy and emotionally fit.”

Educators and parents should know that Kids Heart Challenge is FREE for schools to sign up. Students who participate learn more about heart-healthy choices and they help AHA fight heart disease. Students also help their school earn P.E. equipment for the gym.

“We currently work with more than 700 elementary schools in the Houston-Gulf Coast area and are very excited to bring this program to our Houston area schools this year,” Fewell said.

The Kids Heart Challenge™ encourages heart-healthy behavior as students pledge to be more physically active, drink more water and do a good deed. For teachers, the Kids Heart Challenge™ offers four activations to get students’ hearts pumping:

• Kids Heart Challenge™ Jump – With jump ropes in hand, students learn about the many health benefits of jumping rope – it burns calories, builds agility and increases bone density – while competing in challenges to complete the most jumps in a minute.
• Kids Heart Challenge™ Hoops – Playing basketball builds character through team work and comradery. Students aim, shoot, cheer and celebrate as they take the court for Kids Heart Challenge™ Hoops. It’s not only fun for them, it’s good for their emotional well-being.
• Kids Heart Challenge™ Dance – Students will get moving and laughing as they dance to the “Cha Cha Slide” or “Space Jam” and show off their hip-hop skills. As the dancing gets under way, students get that feel good from their heads down to their toes. They’ll get plenty of physical activity while learning self-confidence, creativity and collaboration.
• Kids Heart Challenge™ Warrior – The obstacle course craze hits schools with Kids Heart Challenge™ Warrior. Students will crawl, run and leap their way to a cardio-pumping great time as they dart through cones, fly over hurdles or tip-toe across the balance beam. Warrior events give students feelings of achievement and strength while they cheer each other on. Let the games begin!

In addition to the new activities, the Kids Heart Challenge™ provides enhanced give-backs, direct contributions to schools and new curriculum for teachers supporting whole-child centered learning. As in previous years, certificates to purchase physical education equipment from an expanded US Games catalog are available. Participating schools are also eligible to apply for the new grant program, furthering the health impact teachers can have with their students. The enhanced curriculum available with the Kids Heart Challenge™ includes a series of classroom-based physical activity plans and resources that support social and emotional learning. Teachers also gain access to OPEN (Online Physical Education Network) which provides physical education curriculum resources and physical activity programming.

Funds raised by the Kids Heart Challenge™ supports advocacy initiatives to keep physical education in schools, ensures kids have access to healthy foods and provides resources to advocate for CPR in school laws that ensure every student knows how to save a life. Since 1949, the Association has funded $4.1 billion in research and currently funds more than 2,000 scientists around the U.S.

More information about Kids Heart Challenge™ is available online at heart.org/kidsheartchallenge. Educators and Kids Heart Challenge™ coordinators may also join the new Kids Heart Challenge™ Facebook group at www.facebook.com/group/kidsheartchallenge to share stories, best practices and successes. To learn more about other school programs, or to donate to the American Heart Association, please visit www.heart.org.