Hoops for Heart a hit

The American Heart Association’s Hoops for Heart fundraiser, held April 8-12 at Gotham Avenue School in Elmont, gave students an opportunity to improve their physical fitness and raise their awareness of heart disease. Students in first through sixth grade participated in basketball drills that included dribbling and shooting while they raised funds for the AHA from family and friends.

Under the direction of physical education teachers Michael Richards and John Hakanson, students learned about core AHA values that reinforced the importance of healthy living and a commitment to exercise. Hakanson said the week’s lessons were especially effective because they taught children about how crucial a healthy-functioning heart is for the human body.

“The students learned about the function of the heart and how exercising affects our heart in a positive way – it keeps us healthy,” Hakanson said. “They also learned how the American Heart Association works to cure heart disease.”