Sept. 30, 2026 – Team Duval students marked World Heart Day this week by learning life-saving skills and supporting classmates and staff affected by heart-related health challenges.

Through the district’s Pulse of the District initiative and partnership with the American Heart Association (AHA), more than 50,000 secondary students participated in hands-only CPR, first aid, and automated external defibrillator (AED) instruction. The training, which is required for secondary students in Florida, helps prepare students to respond during a cardiac emergency.

At Mandarin High School, students put those skills into practice during health and physical education classes. Students from the school’s Medical Academy helped guide their classmates through hands-only CPR, while Medical Academy instructor Renate Dewberry demonstrated AED use and shared stories from her experience as an emergency medical technician.

For Principal Sara Bravo, the training is about ensuring students feel prepared to help when someone needs it most.

“You can never be too prepared for an emergency,” Bravo said. “Anywhere you go, whether it’s in a school, in a public setting, even at home, someone could have a cardiac emergency. To know that we have so many students in our building who would be prepared and capable of potentially saving someone’s life is extraordinary.”

Bravo said she hopes students leave the training feeling empowered to help others and perhaps even inspired to pursue a career in healthcare.

World Heart Day activities also included a student-organized blood drive at Atlantic Coast High School that resulted in 76 registered donors. Due to strong participation, the event expanded to three donation buses and extended its hours. The student developed the idea, presented it to school leadership, and helped coordinate the effort from start to finish with support from Principal Marleny Chirino and the school team.

Meanwhile, at John E. Ford, students and staff came together for the school’s inaugural “Put the Beat in Your Feet” Heart Walk.

The walk began outside the front office and wound through the school’s hallways before continuing outside around the track. Along the route, students lined both sides of the halls holding handmade signs, wearing red, and displaying heart-themed creations in support of members of the school community who have experienced heart-related health challenges.

Among those honored were Kori Phillips, a third grader who has undergone three open-heart surgeries, and Parker Angiuli, a sixth grader who underwent heart surgery as an infant.

Reflecting on her experience, Kori shared one of the most difficult parts of undergoing surgery.

“It’s not easy,” Kori said. “When you go into the surgery room, you don’t want to be away from your friends and family.”

The walk also recognized Principal Tina Bennett, who underwent open-heart surgery earlier this year after a coronary calcium screening led doctors to discover a blockage.

“I would have never thought I was a candidate for heart surgery,” Bennett said. “I want my students, families, and staff to understand how important it is to take care of yourself.”

Like Kori, Bennett also reflected on her own health journey and the lessons she hopes others will take away from it.

“Knowing CPR and knowing where the AED is, we’ve made that a big focus this year,” Bennett said. “You never know when a cardiac emergency is going to happen.”

Additional information and resources are available through AHA at www.heart.org.