Healthy Heart Challenge at Dickinson

By Mary Alice Garrett

This story originally appeared in The News Journal of Wilmington, Delware.

While classmates cheered, "Push it to the limit," students at John Dickinson High School engaged in strenuous physical activities in a Healthy Heart Challenge during a recent lunch in the cafeteria.

The event was part of Healthy Heart Month, which the school observes every February. The program was started three years ago by school nurse Donna Watson.

"It was such a hit with the students and staff [the first year] that we continued to provide it for everyone," Watson said. "This has grown tremendously."

The Challenge (which took place on Valentine's Day) was just part of many heart-related activities last month. Students received instruction in health classes on the risk factors for heart disease -- both controllable and hereditary. They were also measured for their height, weight, body mass index, blood pressure and targeted heart rate. They will continue to be monitored throughout the school year.

"Some have been picked up with high blood pressure and are handling it with diet and medicine," said Watson. "In the last three years, we have had about seven kids [in this category]." Dickinson has an enrollment of 800 students.

Lured by prizes, students took part in four physical activities: push-ups, sit-ups, stepper and jump rope. Everyone got a prize, no matter how many repetitions he or she did.

"Pick out an activity and just do it," Watson yelled at the lunchroom crowd.

Jordan Mullins, 17, was one of the early participants. He did 62 push-ups, then went on to jump rope. He bypassed the stepper, saying "I've got bad knees. I can't do that." Mullins returned to do more push-ups alongside Tymere Grant, 17, who logged 60. Others did sit-ups and jumped rope in tandem.

Xavia Davis, 18, completed 20 sit-ups, stepped 50 times and jumped rope 100 times.

Football player Jonathan Gonzalez, 17, went 70 times on the stepper but messed up jumping rope on the gym mat.

Digital media teacher Tom Hensler completed 78 push-ups before eating a heart-healthy salad for lunch.

Nineteen-year-old Collin Loughney hoped to break the school record for push-ups set last year by former principal, Chad Carmack.

"Dr. Carmack did more than 100," said Watson. "Can he beat Dr. Carmack's record? I'll make the phone call to tell him myself."

The call wasn't necessary. After having pain in his right shoulder, Loughney's arm quivered, forcing him to stop at 63 push-ups.

Shannelle Coverdale, 17, did her first-ever push-up and went on to do 24 more.

Jorge Loper, also 17, had a friend stand on his feet while he did 80 sit-ups and followed up with 75 push-ups.

Christian Ortega, 18, and Luis Diaz, 17, did a respectful number of push-ups the conventional way and a few one-handed.

Eighteen-year-old Justin Witcher admitted he had practiced push-ups the night before. He was dressed in Valentine's Day finery -- red satin jacket, red pants and red and white athletic shoes. With coeds cheering him on, Witcher did 40 push-ups and 45 sit-ups.

Identical twins Kelimel and Delimel Jimenez, 15, took turns. Kelimel completed 44 push-ups, while Delimel did 21 sit-ups.

"The Cupid Slide" line dance was introduced by assistant principal Valerie Martinez. Student adviser Damon Saunders was among the first to dance. And music teacher Sheila Cassidy was the last person standing.

"The older generation outlasted the younger," Cassidy noted.

Many students and faculty members wore red for the occasion. The Ram Rock Café (cafeteria) featured heart-shaped chicken nuggets and green beans. Other offerings included salads, fruit, pasta, wraps, subs and pizza.

Among the visitors that day was Red Clay Consolidated School District Superintendent Robert J. Andrzejewski.

Prizes were donated by Bank of America. The most popular prize was a St. Louis Rams duffel bag, probably because the Rams is the name of Dickinson's athletic teams.

Gonzalez stayed late to pack up and move the boxes of leftover prizes. "We had fun," he said.