Joshua Dixon Elementary School first-grader Lincoln Doss prepares to swing a skipper, which classmate Everly Best prepares to clear in their Wednesday morning physical education class. According to principal Kim Sharshan, Dixon kids have raised more than $67,000 for the American Heart Association over the last 20 years just by jumping rope. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

COLUMBIANA — For the last 20 years, Joshua Dixon Elementary School children have raised $67,000 for the American Heart Association (AHA) — just by doing something that they love in gym class.

Dixon physical education teacher Courtney Passas explained three years ago, the AHA renamed the fundraiser to Kids’ Heart Challenge from Jump Rope For Heart.

Passas has been heading the effort at Dixon for a dozen years. This year’s event also included additional activity stations.

All her students participate in the effort, which includes chances for students to earn AHA swag, such as T-shirts and socks based on the amount they raise through their participation. The kids’ favorite, though, is the annual AHA key chain. Past ones have included dinosaurs and ducks. This year it is a robotic dog, she explained.

So far, Dixon has 81 students who have made contribution this year, and they are only halfway through the month.

Other stations included the rock, paper and scissors area, where kids literally jump through hula hoops lining the floor; a stretching area; and a dice roll area, where students rolled a dice and must complete the activity displayed.

She credits their success annually to the ability of students to relate the fundraising towards assisting classmates who are suffering from heart issues.

Kids overall are very altruistic by nature if given the opportunity; however, Passas agreed that more often than not, adults shelter them from uncomfortable situations, including illnesses. This year, four schoolmates from Dixon are suffering from heart-related ailments and the children welcome the opportunity to help them through this program indirectly.

Those four students — not only are honored with medals — but also with extreme support from their classmates, Passas concluded.

The Kids Heart Challenge runs through the end of the month.

To learn more about the AHA, visit www.heart.org.

Contributions also can be made by emailing Courtney.passas@columbianaschools.org.

sujhelyi@mojonews.com