Banners adorn the wall of McNary Heights Elementary, symbolizing the school’s connection with the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser.

Students at McNary Heights Elementary jumped their way to the top of the charts last year, and Friday, the school was recognized for that leap.

McNary Heights has participated in the American Heart Associations Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser for 12 years, and last year, the school brought it $5,388.30 in the event, enough to land the elementary on the list of top fundraisers in the state.

Every year that the school has done this, it always surprises me how much the students, parents and community have raised. The generosity has been amazing, especially considering these economic times, school P.E. teacher and fundraiser coordinator Lee Cody said Wednesday. I knew we had raised a lot last spring when I sent it in, but then a couple weeks ago, I got an e-mail from representatives of the American Heart Association that said we raised the most in the state of Oregon. I was really surprised.

Jump Rope for Heart is a national fundraiser to bring in money for heart disease research and prevention; Cody said the fundraiser is a good fit for the elementary school because jumping rope is part of the physical education curriculum.

At the end of the jump-rope unit each year, Cody rearranges his schedule so two classes take an extended P.E. class together, and students are able to jump individually with short ropes or partner up for long rope jumping and double dutch. All students participate in the end-of-the-unit rope jumping, but they can also choose to participate in the fundraiser. In 2009-10, about 100 students opted to raise money, bringing in between $5 and $380 a piece.

One benefit is the actual exercise, but it also helps show students that they can help out, Cody said. Its a good program to show them that there are ways for them to help people who need it.

The Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser also rewards students and schools scaled to the amount of money brought in. Last year, McNary Heights Elementary received certificates for $400 in P.E. equipment, and the school was scheduled to be recognized for its Jump Rope donations Friday during the The Oregon Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance conference in Salem.

Its a good program, but its really the students who are the ones that go out and raise the money, Cody said. Were being recognized for something they did, so Im pretty proud of them.