Waltham Elementary School Receives Athletic Ball Donation

WALTHAM, MA – One Waltham elementary school won't want for bounciness once the weather turns around. The American Heart Association and Newton-Wellesley Hospital are donating two dozen athletic balls to Plympton Elementary School.

The reason? Participation in sports promotes physical activity, builds self-esteem, improves social skills and motivates children to excel academically, the American Heart Associations says.

The organizations gifted its first donation to Plympton on Monday and will deliver hundreds of balls to schools throughout Massachusetts over the next month. A group of students joined school officials to accept – presumably very willingly – and test out the new equipment.

"Exercise doesn’t have to be difficult, especially at this age. It can be fun," physical education teacher Howie Rock said in a statement. "You want to show them different activities that they can do to stay involved, stay active through middle school, high school, and hopefully for life."

Increased physical activity can improve life expectancy and decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease among children, George R. Philippides, chief of cardiology at Newton Wellesley Hospital, said. The American Heart Association recommends at least an hour of physical activity daily for children and teens.

"Donating playground balls to local schools in need is a great first step in keeping our youth active and
heart healthy," Philippides said in a statement.

Photos courtesy of Chris Camire