Newton Students Earn CPR Certification Through Youth-Led Initiative

NEWTON, MA — More than 50 local high school students gathered at the Hyde Community Center on Saturday for the inaugural Newton Youth Lifesavers Initiative, a free American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR/AED certification program organized by Heart for Care.

Students learned adult, child, and infant CPR, automated external defibrillator (AED) use, choking relief, and emergency response before completing hands-on training led by certified instructors from ACLS Academy. Those who completed the course became eligible for American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR/AED certification.

Heart for Care was founded in 2025 by high school students Lauren Li and Evan Li to make CPR and AED training more accessible to local students.

Newton School Committee member Victor Lee told students the skills they learned could one day save someone's life.

"You never know," Lee said. "Those circumstances can come up at any point in time. What's important is that you are here, you're able to train and learn, and the more people that are aware of it and are trained in it, the safer our communities overall will be."

Organizers said the event also highlights a gap in Massachusetts, which is one of nine states that does not require CPR instruction before high school graduation. State Rep. Greg Schwartz encouraged local leaders to explore expanding CPR education in schools.

One of the day's most emotional moments came when Dr. Lisa Owens of Brigham and Women's Hospital shared the story of her son, Preston Settles, who suffered a cardiac arrest during a high school basketball game four years ago.

"I want to underscore how important it is and how you guys are all setting off a cascade to save lives," Owens said.

Students received certificates during a recognition ceremony attended by family members, volunteers and local officials, including Mayor Marc Laredo. Organizers said they hope to make the Newton Youth Lifesavers Initiative an annual event.

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