Story told by Nick Gibson

The University School of the Lowcountry’s Principal Jason Kreutner wants his staff and students to always be prepared for emergency situations.  

“Mr. Kreutner loves to make sure we are prepared citizens in our lives,” said Jennifer Payes, a Physical Education Teacher at the University School of the Lowcountry in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.  

Jennifer does double duty not only as a teacher, but also an American Red Cross instructor where she teaches CPR, AED, and First Aid courses to all the school’s middle and high school students. 

“Each year we teach them. We do online training and then in-person. Then we do a refresher class so we work on practice in January so no one will forget,” said Jennifer. “We do it every year, so it’s constantly in their minds, and then by the time they are seniors, they’ll know it for life.”

The Red Cross empowers people to learn skills and use them to save lives in emergencies. We’ve created courses and trained people in first aid for more than 100 years. Last year, the Red Cross honored over 430 individuals across the country for their heroic efforts resulting in 222 lives saved.

“Most of them started in the intermediate school and waited to get into middle school to be able to take the course. They get so excited that they are finally there,” said Jennifer. 

Jennifer believes these courses teach essential life skills for young people. As an instructor, Jennifer tries her best to drive key messages home to her students, so when they are certified in CPR, AED, and First Aid, they know what to do in crucial situations.

“Not panicking in situations but assessing them. Make sure the scene is safe and know how to call 911. We have the manikins that they practice on,” said Jennifer. “We just go through each step and break it down. We focus on real-life: ‘What if you are on campus and someone cuts themselves’ How do you handle that?” 

Mingus Gubbels is in the eighth grade at the University School of the Lowcountry. He says he really enjoys taking these courses because of the confidence the skills give him to act in an emergency. 

“I completed my third certification this year, I’ve been doing it since sixth grade,” said Mingus. 

Mingus says working as a team with his classmates, quizzing one another, and comparing how everyone did is like a fun competition. He adds that with his mom being a doctor, he wanted to learn more about the medical field. 

“I think it’s really interesting to learn all about Red Cross and CPR. I think CPR is a lot of fun. I just like the feeling that you could save someone’s life in a tricky situation,” said Mingus.

Mingus said taking these courses through the Red Cross makes him feel comfortable in responding should he witness someone having a medical emergency.

“I know that I can help anyone if they’re in need of being saved,” said Mingus.

On average, more than 5 million people a year receive Red Cross training in first aid, water safety, and other skills that help save lives.

Train for the moments that matter. The Red Cross encourages everyone to learn first aid, CPR, and how to use an AED, so they can act in an emergency. 70% of all cardiac arrests happen in the home, so you may end up helping to save a family member or a friend. Every second counts, so it’s important to know what to do until medical help arrives. Visit redcross.org/takeaclass to register for a course today.