National Heritage Academies Students in Michigan Learn Heart Health, Save Lives

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Apr 05, 2022, 10:38 ET

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For students at 33 National Heritage Academies partner-schools, spread across six states, the Kids Heart Challenge means more than learning about the importance of exercise and health eating. It means saving lives.

This year, those schools have raised more than $130,000 for the American Heart Association.

"It's amazing what these kids can do," said Walker Charter Academy Gym Teacher Jason Dykstra. "I don't know if they're aware of the magnitude of it all. It's a big number for you and me, but I don't know if they grasp the impact this can have."

Students at Walker have raised more than $20,000 for the AHA this year and have accrued over $245,000 since the school started participating in 2002.

"Those dollars that the NHA students are raising in order to support the American Heart Association, it's saving lives, that's what it comes down to," said AMA Youth Market Director Julie Neuhaus. "If we didn't partner with the NHA, we would not be able to fund as many grants, and those grants are creating the next breakthrough. We see loved ones and their lives get extended because of it."

Dykstra said teaching students about heart health is more than jumping rope and being active. He works to encourage positive life-long habits in them, which is a large part of NHA's Moral Focus program. Walker Charter Academy was recently named a Top 10 Best Charter School in Michigan by U.S. News & World Report.

"We talk about the food groups and eating healthy, we do water drinking challenges," said Dykstra. "We talk about how to stay heart healthy, staying active, and exercising. We also do a lot of activities. You have to change things up, so you don't get stagnant and boring."

Fellow Physical Education Teacher John Howell at South Canton Scholars, another NHA school, got students excited by filming teachers jumping rope, but not showing their faces. He said the kids had fun trying to figure it out, which got them excited for the fundraiser.

"I still had students that were trying to give money after the competition was over," Howell said. "We had an amazing year."

The school raised $15,348.03, more than doubling its previous best effort. That number has him a bit bamboozled for next year.

"The kids really look forward to the Kids Heart Challenge," Howell said. "Now next year, I don't know how I can beat that number, that number is huge. What am I going to do next year to try and promote it to make it better? I'm going to be thinking about that."

About National Heritage Academies:
NHA is a network of 98 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 60,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.

SOURCE National Heritage Academies