Students got to the heart of the matter at CPR event

Photo by Shakell James

Shakell James
Staff Writer

Thee Captivating Class Council in conjunction with SGA Week, hosted their “Heart of Thee Matter” event in honor of American Heart Month.

This event took place on Feb. 6, 2024 in the Student Center Ballrooms. The collaborators for this event included Helping Heartbeats, American Heart Association, and SodexoMagic.

Trivia icebreakers were started upon arrival, as well as name submissions for prizes later. The participants played “four corners”- an interactive game consisting of black history and health questions.

Line dancing, infographics, fresh fruit, and CPR mannequin practice were the various stations presented that students could participate in.

Lauren Ballard, Miss Sophomore and a political science major from Monroe, La., emphasized the importance of the event to her fellow classmates.

“It is essential that as a black community that we become more educated on the health problems that have affected generations in order to avoid them,” Ballard stated.

CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, supports life-saving in case of cardiac arrest, when the heart stops beating or beats too ineffectively for blood circulation.

Shafreta Kelly, the founder and CEO of Helping Heartbeats LLC, is a nationally registered paramedic, and an American Heart Association instructor. Kelly provided CPR training as well as incentives for students to stay informed.

“I know the thought of performing CPR can be uncomfortable for some, but I want them to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to perform in an uncomfortable situation.”

Tips were given for performing emergency CPR on adults and children.

• • Check the scene for safety

  • Check for responsiveness

  • If there’s no response, check for a pulse

  • Tell someone to call 9-1-1/Get an AED

  • Kneel beside the person

  • Position locked hands in the center of the chest

  • Push down hard/steady (30 Chest Compressions)

  • Give 2 breaths

  • Use AED as soon as possible

  • If infant, use 2 fingers in center chest area

  • Repeat steps until medical authorities arrive

Kelcey Moore, a sophomore elementary education major from Jackson, Miss., was glad she attended the event.

“Overall, I really enjoyed the event. It was very educational to me. It taught me a lot of things I wasn’t aware of, like the functions of a heart. It was also a great way to bring our class together to have a fun event amongst each other,” said Moore.

According to Redcross.org, CPR doubles- even triples- the chances of survival when a bystander steps in.  As an instructor, Kelly is persistent in elaborating the extensiveness of CPR.

“The mission of Helping Heartbeats, LLC, is to spread CPR awareness and encourage everyone who is willing to learn and participate. I think CPR is overlooked. Most people don’t understand the importance of CPR. People think you have to be a medical professional to perform the lifesaving skill, which is not true,” Kelly stated.

Ohmaree Douglas, a junior social work major from Summit, Miss., shared his perspective on the event.

“The Heart of the Matter was a great event for the student body. The student body was able to get hands-on CPR training from a certified instructor. We were able to learn the entire process, as well as precautions if we were ever to be put in that situation. We also had informational flyers and line dance to keep us active throughout the event. Not to mention a healthy fruit assortment that was available to all. It was a great event,” said Douglas.