Girl Scout stresses heart health to younger students
BY MICHAEL ACKER
Staff Writer

Anne Skorupski, 16, teaches elementary school students about heart health at the Truman School recently. Anne volunteered her time as a member of the Girl Scouts and has put in over 50 hours of community service toward a Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouts.

SAYREVILLE - - A local Girl Scout and former student at the Truman School taught second- and third- graders how to live a heart-healthy lifestyle during American Heart Month in February.

Sixteen-year-old Anne Skorupski, a junior at Sayreville War Memorial High School, had an idea to teach elementary school children about heart health.

Anne, who has been a Girl Scout for 12 years, is currently working toward a Gold Award, which requires a minimum of 50 hours of community service.

"It is the highest award that a Girl Scout can achieve," Charlene Kenny told the Suburban. Kenny is the school nurse at Truman School and acted as a mentor for Anne with the lessons on heart health.

Anne's lessons included information on what foods are healthy to eat and the importance of exercise and avoiding cigarettes.

"I worked with her," Kenny said, "but she did a lot of work on her own. She put packets together for students in second and third grade with lessons on the heart."

Anne taught 11 different classes of second- and third-graders in three days last month, Kenny said, adding that Anne had the children and local senior citizens pitch in to create gifts for area youths who are hospitalized with heart conditions.

"She had the children make cards for other children who are having cardiac surgery," Kenny said. "The cards are attached to little dolls she made and had the senior citizens sew for her.

"She did a nice job teaching children and answering their questions," Kenny said.

Anne had the children incorporate their lessons by writing about the heart, Kenny said, adding that their writing will be put on display on the walls of the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick and Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

Anne also had the students writing letters to friends and family about healthful snack choices, Kenny said. She added that Anne is holding a workshop for the Girl Scouts at the Bayshore Fitness Center in Old Bridge today.

"Anne is a former student of mine here at Truman School," Kenny said. "She did a fabulous job. When I asked the children what they thought she should become, they all said a teacher."

Truman School Principal Linda Coffey said that giving back to the community is part of what faculty and staff try to instill in the academic program at the school.

"[Anne] was here for a three-day period and she did an outstanding job," Coffey said. "I can't even begin to tell you what a wonderful feeling it is to go into a classroom and see a former Truman School student teaching lifelong skills to our youngsters.

"She is a fine young lady who is really going to make a difference in the world," Coffey said.

Kenny coached Anne on how to teach the lessons, Coffey said.

"She went into the classroom and she was like a pro," she said.

Anne told the Suburban that she had pillows made for outpatients, which will be donated to the pediatric cardiac center.

"I want to be in pre-med," Anne said, adding that she has been volunteering at Saint Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick for the past three years.

Volunteering at the hospital inspired her to teach about heart health at Truman School, Anne said.

"It makes you have a different perspective," Anne said. "I definitely like to work with kids. I am thinking about [going into] art therapy, because it involves artistic endeavors."