Great Bend Middle School students and staff took part in “Hoops for Heart,” a learning project to benefit the American Heart Association, during the month of March.
American Heart Association representative Kim Sell organized the event and talked to the middle school students.
Students spent time in physical education class learning about heart health and healthy lifestyle choices that can be lifesaving. Simple choices, such as bypassing sugary beverages and choosing water instead, eating more fruits and vegetables, and exercising for 60 minutes every day, can improve cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular deaths remain the Number One cause of death in the United States. The work of the American Heart Association focuses on research, education and advocacy.
Once the Heart Event was over, the students celebrated with Hoops for Heart and Dodgeball for Heart. Great Bend High School men’s basketball coach Tim Brooks and his players assisted with the two-day event. Calan Haberman, Ty Esfeld, Kody Crosby, Blake Penka, Brock Blessing, Logan Perry, Marcus Schmeidler, Nick Wondra, Korbin Widiger, Sam Ryan and Trent Stueder were the hoops helpers. Getting to interact with the students and earn community service points made it a great few days for them as well, sponsors said.
The staff who participated by purchasing shirts were allowed to dress as a PE teacher for a day.
Not only did the Great Bend Middle School raise over $800 in honor of family members and friends who suffer from heart problems, all of the students participated in the heart healthy information and Hoops or Dodgeball events.