What do jump rope, basketball and donations have in common? Just ask Crabapple Lane Elementary Physical Education (P.E.) teacher Nick Bellantoni as he was recently recognized by the American Heart Association for administering the Jump Rope for Heart campaign.

Jump Rope for Heart is a two-week campaign that encourages children to join in exciting fundraising events where they learn heart healthy habits and have fun jumping rope or shooting hoops, while raising funds for the American Heart Association.

This year, Bellantoni encouraged Crabapple Lane students to join in on the fundraiser.

To kick off the campaign, each student was given a packet which led students to the Jump Rope for Heart website where they signed up online with their parents’ permission and sent out emails to close friends and family asking to help them raise money for the American Heart Association.

During the campaign, Bellantoni talked with students about heart healthy activities and created fitness stations where students could participate in various jump rope activities.

To encourage student participation “I told the student body if we placed first in the county, the top 30 students would get to pie me in the face and I would wear a dress to work for a day,” says Bellantoni—this got the students very excited. 

Donations started to pour in and before they realized it, Crabapple Lane students had raised over $18,000.

“I felt a sense of pride in our student body. They went above and beyond to raise money for those who have sick or special hearts. I am in awe of how much we were able to raise,” says Bellantoni.

So now Bellantoni will strut the halls of Crabapple Lane in a dress because not only did students raise the most donations in Fayette County, but they had the highest increase of donations in the state of Georgia.

With hopes to break this record next year Bellantoni says, “Sure we may not be able to save everyone but at least trying to help and possibly saving a life is worth it.”