Eighth-grade students from Ms. Brianna Rodda’s First Aid and Safety class at William Paca Middle School, in the William Floyd School District, joined forces with members of the Mastic Ambulance Company and Stony Brook Hospital to practice and earn their CPR certification.
“My main goal as a teacher is to teach my students lifelong skills that they can carry with them long after leaving my classroom, especially skills that may one day help them save a life,” said Ms. Rodda.
This hands-on experience equips students with lifesaving skills and reinforced the importance of emergency preparedness in everyday life.
One parent, Jessica Jeudi, said on William Floyd’s Facebook Page, “Love this!! My son participated in this and he was very excited!! Thank you to Mastic Ambulance and Stonybrook hospital for all your help!!”
Students learned essential first aid skills such as what to do in a choking emergency, how to use an AED and proper CPR techniques. Earning their CPR certification ensures that students are prepared to respond in critical situations and potentially save lives at home, in school and in the broader community.
A former student, Thomas O’Brien’ weighed in saying, “That is a great learning experience FLOYD STRONG! Keep up the good work, Alumni Class of 1973”.
Bob Vecchio, Executive Director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association said, “It’s always a great thing when students can learn lifesaving skills. Schools have long offered CPR courses and other important life skills lessons over the years and hopefully no one will have to apply these skills in the future.”
According to the American Heart Association, “children as young as nine-years old can learn and retain CPR training. Younger children do not generally have the strength to perform an adequate chest compression on an adult, but learning this life skill will stick with them for the rest of their life.”
There are countless incidents of young people performing CPR, first aid, or utilizing other emergency training skills to save a life, sometimes years or even decades later.
“Opportunities like this highlight the value of collaboration between schools and local services,” said Ms. Rodda. “The professionals at Mastic Ambulance and Stony Brook University Hospital are strengthening community safety and fostering a sense of responsibility among students.”
Commitment to learning these vital, lifelong skills empowers the participating students to make a real difference in the world around them and serves as a positive step toward fostering a safer, more prepared community.