Kids with big hearts
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Timber Trail Elementary
First grade honorable hero, Grace Creeden, has a kind and big heart. Grace takes a moment with her teacher Mrs. Schade before she jumps for heart health.
Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) Timberwolves displayed their wolf pack pride by dedicating this year’s American Heart Association (AHA) Kids Heart Challenge to one of their own student heroes, first grader Grace Creeden.
At just 5-months-old Grace underwent heart surgery. Wearing oxygen full time for a year did not stop Grace from being a happy and playful child. The care Grace received has shown to be positive with no long-term effects. Today, she is an active, friendly and hardworking first grader who loves to jump rope.
According to the AHA, the Kids Heart Challenge is a fun and exciting event where kids learn about their heart while helping others by raising money for the association. The event helps to prepare kids for success through physical and emotional well-being. This year’s challenge focused not only on physical activity but promoted healthy heart habits such as the importance of drinking water, being kind, helping others in need and being a leader.
Fifth grade students Aurora Hussey, Diane Al Bakri and Fletcher McDonald are a few of the many TTE students that were dedicated to the AHA Kids Heart Challenge. To date the students raised $4,371 for the AHA, surpassing the school goal.
TTE’s physical education teacher Linda Johnston said the school’s health improvement plan was in perfect alignment with the AHA mission to improve health, noting that kindness also strengthens our hearts physically and emotionally. Those who are kind and generous to others are thought to have big hearts just like the TTE Timberwolves.
Johnston stated how proud she is of the students and staff that participated in the fundraising event for the AHA and that everyone went above and beyond their fundraising goal.
All TTE students participated in the AHA Kids Heart Challenge. Students were divided into smaller work groups or wolf packs and jumped their way through multiple challenges using a variety of long and short ropes. Fourth grader Landon Ross looks on as fellow student Cameron Goode takes on an individual jumping challenge.
