JISD Jump-A-Thon
A 'Jumping' Success

On February 11, Fred Douglass, Joe Wright, East Side, and West Side Elementary school students jumped all over heart disease and stroke by participating in Jump Rope For Heart. Over 100 students participated in this years event, raising more than $300 for the American Heart Association. Funds raised for Jump Rope For Heart help fight heart disease and stroke, the nations No. 1 and No. 3 killers.

The Jacksonville Jump-A-Thon was a jumping success. Jeff Phillips, the PE instructor at Fred Douglass Elementary, along with Jamie Maddox, JISDs Health Service Coordinator, Jeni Chilton, JISD RN and Susan Elizondo, the Youth Market Director of the East Texas Region American Heart Association, organized this exciting event for our students. The morning started off with the JMS cheerleaders revving the students up by performing original jump rope cheers, and it concluded with an awesome presentation by the Heart Throbbers, a jump rope team from Jones Elementary in Tyler. The whole experience was kicked into high gear due to an outstanding job by Boogie Butts Productions. Joe Wright Elementary had the highest percentage of jumpers followed by Fred Douglass Elementary. For participating in this event, PE teachers received money from the community to help purchase PE equipment. Jacksonville I.S.D. PE departments along with the health service staff are committed to providing our students with opportunities to promote optimal health and well being. We would like to thank the Parent Teacher Organizations (PTO) of each campus. Also, we would like to thank the sponsors of the event and vendors who spent time sharing health information with our families. ETMC-Jacksonville, Trinity Mother Frances-Jacksonville, HOPE, Inc., Cherokee County Health Department, Trinity Mother Frances-Sports Care, Cherokee County Extension Agent Louraiseal McDonald, Boogie Butt Productions, and the JMS Cheerleading squad led by Becky Pierce.