WESTWOOD—Students at Westwood Regional Middle School spent the day, Feb. 18, moving through heart-health activities, including learning hands-only CPR, as part of the school’s American Heart Challenge, a fundraising and education program of the American Heart Association.
The event was organized by PE and health teachers Anthony Orsini and Elyssa Wottring, backed by Erin Del Moro, development director of the American Heart Association; and the school nurses and guidance department.
Orsini and Wottring emphasized moreover the contributions of Officer Danielle Neuberger of the Westwood Police Department, who helped coordinate with local EMS, fire officials, and town council members.
“Not only did they visit during the event to show their support for our students, they also took part in the activities. A special thank-you to Officer Neuberger, Westwood EMT Captain Rush Sherman, EMT Janet Dunn, EMT and Westwood Regional High School senior Carter Morin, Township Cpl. Clayton Kenny, and Township dispatcher Andrew Eckhardt, for teaching our students hands-only CPR,” said Orsini.
The event took place in the gym during physical education and health classes, with students roaring through through six stations designed to get their heart rates up while teaching basic concepts about cardiovascular health and how the body works.
At one station focused on nutrition, students used scooters to race and stack sugar cubes representing “added sugars,” paired with posters showing sugar equivalents in popular drinks.
Other stations emphasized measuring exertion and recovery: students jumped to elevate their heart rate, found their pulse, and calculated their rate, then tracked their effort with heart stickers posted by class period.
Another activity, with hula hoops, demonstrated circulation and oxygen delivery, with students linking arms and working together to move a “red blood cell” through a human “blood passageway,” illustrating how the body constantly moves oxygen throughout the system.
A basketball station reinforced that everyday physical activity — including sports — can help keep the heart healthy.
The program’s CPR component ran throughout the day, with students practicing hands-only CPR on training mannequins. (Hands-only is CPR without rescue breaths.) Organizers said the goal is for students to leave with enough skill and confidence to respond in an emergency.
“When somebody has cardiac arrest, it takes time to get professional help there,” said Sherman. “It’s important for the general public to know the basics of CPR, to keep the blood pumping until professional help can arrive. … Seconds count.”
Students also wrote positive messages on paper hearts that were displayed in school windows, an activity organized with help from the guidance department to reinforce community support and well-being. The school described the project overall as In the middle of it all, the heart matters.
Orsini said the event is held annually in February, aligning with heart-health awareness efforts, while many of the fitness-based activities are part of regular PE instruction throughout the year. This year, organizers expanded the CPR portion by bringing in additional community support so students could get more direct, hands-on practice.
The school raised $6,603 (at last count) through donations made via the American Heart Association’s website as part of the American Heart Challenge campaign. Organizers said funds support the association’s research and programs, including assistance for children and families navigating heart conditions.
The school’s top fundraisers were Ryleigh Fitzpatrick (6th grade), Maeve Fitzpatrick (7th grade), Nicholas “Nick” DeTore (8th grade), and Caroline Fennell (8th grade).
