By Martin Gagliano


On a typical Wednesday morning, having more than one hundred eighth graders seated on the auditorium floor might not seem out of the ordinary. However, witnessing them perform synchronized CPR maneuvers while learning to save lives is impressive. On October 22, the local Red Cross Training Services Team, in partnership with the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) and Dozier-Libbey Medical High School (DLMHS), hosted a record-setting youth CPR/AED certification event for nearly 350 eighth-grade students over two 90-minute sessions at Antioch’s Park Middle School.

Led by Pete DeQuincy with EBRPD and Brittany Carkeek and student instructors from DLMHS, this certification initiative marks a significant milestone: It is one of the largest Red Cross trainings in the country where student instructors have taught Adult CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and the use of an AED (automated external defibrillator) to this many students in a single day.

Mina Eljanabi, a senior and lead student instructor at DLMHS, coordinated 36 of her fellow instructors to deliver a successful training. She said she felt honored with the chance to talk the students about her passion for medical knowledge and to give to her peers “a chance to help save a life.”

Approximately half a million cardiac arrests occur each year, with 70% happening outside of a hospital. CPR can make all the difference between life and death to someone in distress. Performed correctly and within minutes of someone experiencing cardiac arrest, CPR can double or triple the chance of survival.

“At first, I felt overwhelmed by having 175 (pairs of) eyes looking back at me, expecting me to know everything. But then, slowly, as I got into the groove, I realized that the kids were excited to learn CPR,” Mina stated. “My favorite part is seeing the kids actually do compressions. It’s something they haven’t done before. They are like, ‘I’m touching another person and I’m going to break past their rib cage and try to reach into their heart and actually pump it myself.’ Seeing their faces, seeing them realize they can do it, it’s amazing.”

Medical emergencies can occur at any time. Learning these essential skills can empower anyone to take action in emergencies, whether at home, school or in the community. Mina herself had to use these skills to assist someone in a critical situation: “I work at an elementary school, and I’ve had a little five-year-old choking. I had to do abdominal thrusts,” she remembers.

This large-scale certification event was a remarkable initiative and the first of many for the Red Cross and their partners. “In a single day, we provided these young students with the knowledge necessary to recognize and care for a variety of emergency situations, from first aid to breathing and cardiac arrest,” reflects Rafael Xavier, Red Cross Training Services representative. “It was also an incredible opportunity for the group of student instructors; we helped them develop lifelong leadership skills.”

Following the example of the newly certified eighth-grade students at Park Middle School, the Red Cross encourages everyone to enroll in a CPR/AED course. A variety of online, hybrid (online and in-person skills session), and classroom courses are available at redcross.org/takeaclass.