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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Students from St. Joseph Catholic school were praised last week for their effort to raise more than $22,000 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation by officials from the foundation's Alberta office.

Maurissa Antle answers a skill-testing question from Norma McLean, fund development co-ordinator for Heart and Stroke Foundation at St. Joseph school during a presentation on Oct. 21. - Ben Morgan/NNSL photo

Grade 3, 4, and 5 students raised the money by securing pledges for Jump Rope for Heart - an event held in June that raises awareness in young people for the need to have a healthy and active lifestyle.

The students raised $22,774, the second-highest total in the region from among 70 schools across Alberta, Nunavut and the NWT.

"It's phenomenal," said Norma McLean, fund development co-ordinator for the region of Alberta, NWT and Nunavut. About 150 students did this - it's a tremendous effort," she said.

"One student raised $700 by themselves which is really impressive but all the kids did a great job," said school principal Flo Campbell.

Teaching the importance of active and healthy lifestyles to students is critical to their future success, Campbell added.

"We are preparing these kids to go out and be the leaders of the future and one of the key factors to that success is our physical well-being," she said.

All Yellowknife Catholic schools make it a priority for students to adopt habits of healthy living.

Campbell said students can't even purchase pop or junk foods at dances.

"It's part of a broader policy (our) school board has put forth," she said.

Claudia Parker, assistant superintendent of learning for YCS, said activities such as Jump Rope for Heart are a perfect match for the desire to promote healthy lifestyles in students.

"In order to have a healthy body you have to watch what you're eating and make sure that you exercise. It's good to have fun at it and help raise money for a good cause at the same time."

Students at St. Joseph school will be aiming even higher this year to better their fundraising total.

Physical education teacher Eugene Roach will co-ordinate the effort this year.

"We just have to make sure that the students are motivated enough but I think we can hit the $25,000 mark this year if we really try."

He said it will be lots of hard work but he said he is confident the students are up to the challenge.