St. Patrick School students learn life-saving skills

The three pillars of Catholic education are faith, knowledge, and service. St. Patrick Catholic School in the Diocese of Corpus Christi has started a new program called Student Lifesavers which is empowering students to utilize their knowledge in service to others, and in some cases, possibly even save lives.

Seventeen St. Patrick students from the 6th-grade class were the initial participants in this program which offered them instruction and hands-on training in Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and choking response. The goal is to equip students with lifesaving skills to effectively respond to a victim of cardiac arrest or choking as well as empower them to share what they have learned with others. Additionally, Student Lifesavers serve to encourage participants to make lifestyle choices that will lead to heart-healthy living.

Student Lifesavers offers an awareness program as well as an opportunity for certification. The first focuses on training students in hands-only CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) but does not result in CPR certification. However, the Senior CPR Certification Program is more rigorous, as it includes three 50-minute classes that are open to high school seniors. For a cost of $10 per student, this program, which pairs hands-on training with a written exam, results in CPR certification that is valid for two years.
“The students really enjoyed learning how to perform CPR and how to use an AED,” said Amy Migura, Assistant Principal of St. Patrick School. “They also learned how to respond to someone who is choking.”

Migura credits April Esparza, Diocesan School Health Services Coordinator, with the idea for this program and commends her for her vision, enthusiasm, and follow-through. “She is the one who developed this program and presented it to our students,” said Migura.

“Students that have participated in the training have been so engaged!” said Esparza. “They ask excellent questions and I’m impressed by how quickly they have picked up the skills.”  

All Catholic schools in the Diocese of Corpus Christi have an opportunity to schedule a class for students in their existing grades.  The program has received lots of positive feedback from teachers and administrators, and community members.

“I think each student has taken from this experience an understanding of when and how to use these lifesaving skills,” added Esparza. “It’s helped them develop a confidence that their actions could help make a difference.”