Students at W.O. Parmer and Greenville Elementary Schools were treated to a display of rope wizardry this week, as the &#8220Jump Rope For Heart” Jump Demo Team from Enterprise showed off their skills at the gymnasium Thursday afternoon.

It was all part of the annual kickoff for the American Heart Association's (AHA) Jump Rope For Heart, a fundraising event for the AHA.

Coach Wendy Weathers and her crack team of third through fifth graders gave a jump roping demonstration for the Parmer students and, later, the GES students.

The K-2 students at W.O. Parmer went wild for the hopping, skipping, spinning and double-dutching of the young athletes.

The annual event promotes physical activity among elementary children while showing them ways they and their families can contribute to the community.

&#8220Just raise your hand. How many of you know anybody who has had heart disease or a heart attack? How about high blood pressure?” Weathers asked as hands shot up across the gym.

&#8220Because of the AHA, we are learning how to prevent heart disease and we are making a difference. Look at the person to the left of you and to the right of you. One of you three will get heart disease if we don't do something to prevent it,” Weathers said.

She encouraged all the children to eat healthy, get regular exercise and to &#8220never smoke.”

&#8220You can help fight heart disease by raising money through Jump Rope For Heart…and you can win some terrific prizes, too,” Weathers said.

Weathers and her team members showed off a variety of fun items the children could win with their fundraising efforts, including jump ropes, bungee shoes, slingshot paddle balls and more.

Students seek sponsors who will donate funds as the children jump their way to better health and a contribution to a worthy cause.

&#8220We have been participating for years in this event. We feel it is a particularly good cause. Jump Rope For Heart helps the AHA and encourages physical fitness for our children at the same time,” Carole Teague, principal of W.O. Parmer, said.

The fundraising event can also be a family affair, Teague said.

&#8220We like to involve our parents in the process – so they will be coming two days next week to join our children in their jump roping,” Carole Teague, principal of W.O. Parmer, said.

She said teachers, coaches and even the principal will also get in the act and jump rope next week with the children. The event will wind up next Friday, February 24 at both schools.

&#8220We appreciate all those in the community who support our elementary students in this effort,” Teague said.

To learn more about Jump Rope for Heart, visit www.americanheart.org or call the American Heart Association at 1-800-AHA-USA-1.