Atchison students show heart

SCOTT FRIEDMAN Ashley Moria, 7, can't believe her eyes during a magic trick at the second annual Family Day at Two River Theater, Red Bank, on Saturday.

TINTON FALLS - Lynne Landis, physical education teacher at the Mahala F. Atchison School (MFA) is justifiably proud of the children in her K-3 school. Earlier this year, they raised $26,030 for heart health during their Jump Rope for Heart community service project and came in first among participating schools in two counties. She noted this is the fourth year that the school has participated in the project.

"The students have raised a total of $80,803 overall," she said.

In addition to these accomplishments, the students were featured in the American Heart Association's National Jump Rope/Hoops for Heart 2006 calendar, she said.

The students will be celebrating their outstanding accomplishments during their Jump Rope for Heart Celebration Assembly Program at Atchison School on Thursday at 2 p.m. when they will present the AHA with an honorary check from the student body.

The AHA will present the school with this year's Jump Rope for Heart banner to be hung in the gym next to the banners from the previous three years.

Tinton Falls Mayor Peter Maclearie will attend and show off his rope-jumping skills to the students, and a slide show of the students participating in the jump stations will be shown.