A student-led safety project gave dozens of high schoolers practical training in how to respond to common medical emergencies, as part of a senior capstone effort focused on preparing classmates for real world situations.
Kimberly King organized the event, called “Students Saving Lives,” through the AVID program, bringing members of the local fire department into the school to lead hands-on instruction. About 45 students took part in the training, which was offered during class periods, and the Raider Connect block.
Firefighters guided students through how to recognize and respond to fainting episodes, seizures, blood sugar issues, overdoses, and other urgent situations. They also showed students how to assemble a proper first aid kit and how to assess a scene before stepping in to help.
King said the project reflected both her interest in health care and her desire to make sure classmates felt more confident handling emergencies on their own.
“I have my AVID service-learning project. It's called Students Saving Lives, and we're taking the opportunity to have high schoolers of any age range to come in, and the fire department's going to teach them how to handle something like fainting episodes, seizures, high and low blood sugar, overdose, how to make a proper first aid kit and how to assess a scene,” she said.
Organizing the event required coordination between school staff and the fire department. King worked to establish the student run effort during Raider Connect time, then contacted the fire marshal to arrange for firefighters to attend and lead the sessions.
“I had to reach out and make sure I could actually have a student run organization during our Raider connect time. And then I had to talk to the fire marshal to make sure that they were actually available to come in. And then it was mostly just coordinating between the high school and the fire department and making sure that everybody knew what was going on and make sure that the event could actually be produced,” she said.
At least three firefighters participated in the training across multiple class periods, while remaining available for calls if needed.
King said the idea also grew out of personal experience and concern for classmates preparing to leave home after graduation.
“Our AVID program always has a senior capstone project, and I have always been super passionate about healthcare, and I personally have had some issues with fainting, and I have other people that have issues with fainting, blood sugar, that sort of thing. So, I just wanted to make sure that everyone knew how to handle those sorts of things,” she said.
She said she believed the skills were especially important for students heading to college, where minor medical situations can quickly become more serious if no one nearby knows how to respond.
School staff supported the effort from the start, helping coordinate logistics and encourage participation.
“It's been actually pretty amazing. Everyone's so helpful. Everyone really wants to help me get this thing. And they always see, they all see the value in it,” she said.