Peabody Students Work To Make CPR A Graduation Requirement

PEABODY, MA -- Nicole Venuti was near the end of her shift as a cashier at Market Basket on January 13 when she heard a scream from the back of the store. She and co-worker James Dean found a person lying on the floor and not breathing. Dean called 911 while Venuti started Hands Only CPR on the victim.

"It was my first instinct to help," Venuti, a senior at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, said. Venuti is in the medical assistant training program at the school and received CPR training as part of her coursework.

But saving one life wasn't enough for Venuti. Earlier this month joined her classmate Franklin Marcelino in writing Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to support pending legislation that would require all Massachusetts high school students to receive CPR and Automated External Defibrillator training as a requirement for graduation.

For a school project, Marcelino had learned that only 21 states have similar laws. A bill that would make Massachusetts the 22nd state to adopt the requirement is currently in the House. Marcelino acknowledged that funding such a program would be difficult, but still hopes lawmakers see it as a "no brainer."

"Education is key to survival,” Marcelino said. "You never know when these skills will be used, but you want to have them just in case it is your loved one."

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Patch file photo.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).