Laura Gardiner, physical education teacher at Washburn District Elementary School, recently accepted two awards from the American Heart Association at the annual Maine Association for Physical Education, Recreation and Dance conference, held Nov. 2-4 in Rockport. Washburn District Elementary School first received an award as the first-place school in Jump Rope For Heart/Hoops For Heart’s Division III for raising $12,001.
WDES was also awarded fifth place in the Northeast Affiliate Top 10, which includes schools from not only Maine, but Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and parts of New York state. For the third year in a row, Washburn is also one of only two schools from Maine to make the nation’s top-100 (72nd) list for total money raised in combined jump and hoops events.
Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart are programs designed to promote physical fitness and heart health through the fun activity of jumping rope and shooting hoops.
Students at WDES have now raised a 24-year total of $131,794.64.