West Hills Primary Third-grader Mylee Lorigan prepares to pie Armstrong School District Superintendent Chris DeVivo yesterday afternoon in an assembly recognizing the school’s ‘Jump Rope for Heart’ contribution.
by Jonathan Weaver
An all-time high number of West Hills Primary School students raised more-than five figures for the American Heart Association in February during “Jump Rope for Heart.”
So, they got to kick off their three-day weekend with a little fun, pieing a dozen of their teachers and staff members in a school-wide assembly.
In all, the school of 700 students raised more than $13,300 to donate to the non-profit for heart research.
Nearly half the number of students raised money and more than 50 of those students raised more than $100, qualifying them to pie a teacher in the school-wide assembly Thursday afternoon Health/Physical Education Teacher Devin Lorigan said.
“We did this last year also, and we raised just over $10,000 – and I think (students) saw (other students) throw pies and say ‘Boy do I want to be part of that excitement,’” Lorigan said. “I was floored by the number of kids that raised $100 or more. It was just amazing.”
Third-grader Mylee Lorigan, who raised and donated more than $520 on her own, got to pie School Superintendent (and her great-uncle) Chris DeVivo.
Born with congenital heart disease and wheeled into surgery at 12 days old, Mylee, (Lorigan’s daughter) also raised a school-high more than $350 last year.
“She always gets excited to raise money for the American Heart Association to help kids like her,” Lorigan said. “Our family, everybody was so excited to donate money to the American Heart Association – and to see ‘Uncle Chris’ get a pie in the face.”
DeVivo, who elected not to wear a protective apron and said he did not eat lunch before the whipped cream pie in the face, thanked all the students for their extra efforts to raise the $13,000.
“I was honored to take a pie to the face for that cause,” DeVivo said.
Lorigan, who was also pied, praised the dozen teachers who also stepped up to be pied by students.
School Principal Paula Berry stepped up to be pied twice.
“I always stress to these little ones that they should be proud of themselves with the things they choose to do in everyday school and home, and I think this showing what they would give in this situation just adds that they should be more proud of themselves,” Berry said.
Health/Physical Education Teachers Brian Claypoole and Amanda George also were pied Thursday afternoon.
Claypoole, a West Hills teacher for 10 years, also had a son – first-grader Roman – who donated money toward the cause. Son Lincoln (at West Hills Intermediate) also raised money for the cause last year.
“We’re always looking for ways to get the kids involved and repay them for all their hard work,” Claypoole said. “I’m always happy to jump in there and take a pie for them.”
Lorigan said K-3 graders jump roped in their respective gym classes the week before Valentine’s Day
Students learn how to jump rope in kindergarten and progressively learn more skills each year.
Lorigan said students might have also been influenced to raise more donations because of keychain puppies supplied by the American Heart Association.