West Des Moines PE Teacher Credited With Saving Lives

physical education teacher Luis Suarez is a lifesaver.

In fact, the American Heart Association credited him with saving 65 lives last year by getting the students moving.

How did he do it?

With a jump rope, a basketball and a lot of enthusiasm, according to blog.

Suarez won the American Heart Association’s 2011-2012 Best Jump and Hoops award for the Des Moines metro area for the school‘s participation in the Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for for Heart.

Beth Peck, youth marketing director for the American Heart Association, said it’s clear that Suarez has a gift for motivating students.

“The success of his program is a clear indication of how effective he is at reaching students,” she said. “4,600 people will have a heart attack or stroke today and only half of them will survive. He is truly making a difference in the fight against cardiovascular disease and in the health of students.”

Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Have West Des Moines news delivered to your inbox every morning by signing up for our newsletter.

Students in first through fourth grade participated in the jump rope event and fifth and sixth graders participated in the Hoops for Heart event over a three-week period. They spent 15 minutes during each class period concentrating on the event – which amounted to 120 minutes of jumping.

“This program fits in so well with our curriculum,” Suarez said. “Our goal is heart disease prevention.”

Jump Rope For Heart and Hoops for Heart are national fundraising programs sponsored by the AHA. These  programs promote physical activity, heart healthy living, and community service to children.