More than 150 Minot Forest Elementary students jump-roped to their hearts' content on Saturday during the Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser for the American Heart Association.

"It seems like each year it gets bigger and bigger," said Deanna Semple, physical-education teacher at the school and coordinator of the event.

Students collected donations before the event. Semple said she wouldn't know how much the event raised for a couple of weeks. Last year, however, the school raised $12,000.

Jump-ropers filled both gyms at the school, and jump ropes in every color of the rainbow whipped through the air.

Second-grader Trinity Mello was so excited for the event that she had her face painted in celebration. Her favorite part about it? "If [people] have cancer then you can save their hearts," she said with a big smile.

Sohrob Nyman, also a second-grader, echoed that sentiment. He likes Jump Rope for Heart because he gets "to help people who are sick," he said.

Second-grader Jackson Cote said his favorite part of the day was "being with my friends."

"Do you know why you're jumping?," his mother, Anne, asked.

"For heart!," he replied.