Maggie Duch, a student at Greenfield Elementary School in Baldwin, completed the 2025–26 Kids Heart Challenge as one of the top youth fundraisers in her state. She raised $2,274.17 for the American Heart Association and finished the year ranked 14th in the state for individual fundraising. Maggie will enter fourth grade in the fall following the 2025–26 school year.
Maggie described personal reasons for joining the Kids Heart Challenge: several family members have experienced heart issues, and she wanted to contribute to support and research that could help them and other children. Meeting Finn from the Association’s Finn’s Mission at a school-wide celebration was a memorable part of her experience. Maggie said it was "really cool" to learn that the funds raised support research that helps children like Finn.
Maggie also emphasized that she attributes her fundraising success to the support of family and friends. Her mother, Emily Veenendaal, noted Maggie’s pride: when told she was the 14th-highest fundraiser in the state, Maggie expressed pride not so much in herself as in the community of donors who contributed. Maggie hopes to build on this momentum and involve more people in next year’s program.
As a school, Greenfield Elementary led the entire nation in fundraising through the Kids Heart Challenge during the 2025–26 program year. Several students from Greenfield earned All-Star status for their fundraising contributions, which became a point of pride for families and staff.
The Kids Heart Challenge is a service-learning based fundraising program run by the American Heart Association that partners with elementary, middle and high schools. The program combines fundraising with education about healthy living and civic engagement. Program elements taught to students, families and staff include making healthy food choices, the importance of avoiding vaping and tobacco, and the lifesaving skill of Hands-Only CPR.
The program’s goals are to engage students and families in maintaining healthy hearts, bodies and brains while raising funds to support children with heart conditions. It is presented as a way for students to learn life skills, practice healthy habits, and contribute to research and community wellness.
The American Heart Association supplied several statistics included with the report, highlighting public health concerns affecting children and adolescents:
These data points frame the public health rationale for school-based education and fundraising initiatives like the Kids Heart Challenge.
Funds raised through the Kids Heart Challenge support community wellness programs and research aimed at improving cardiovascular health and extending the lives of children with heart conditions. The program positions students as active contributors to solutions by funding research and local health initiatives.
Lisa Hoffman, American Heart Association Region Vice President, Development, School Engagement, acknowledged the efforts of participants and volunteers, saying their passion and commitment are essential to advancing the organization’s mission. The AHA credited participants and volunteers with driving its work forward and expressed gratitude for their ongoing contributions.
The source directs interested families, educators and communities to the American Heart Association’s Kids Heart Challenge information page. For program details, resources and ways to participate, the AHA page at heart.org/getstarted is provided as the entry point for additional information.
The American Heart Association is described in the source as an organization committed to longer, healthier lives through research funding, public health advocacy and education. The AHA supports community programs, provides health information and resources, and works to improve cardiovascular outcomes through science, policy and care. Contact and program links are available through the AHA website.