On Monday February 13, GMSD became a 100% certified Project ADAM Heart Safe District. Project ADAM was started after the death of 17 year old Adam Lemel in 1999 when he suffered from sudden cardiac arrest. The use of an AED, automated external defibrillator, could have saved his life. Project ADAM now works to bring knowledge and resources for CPR and AED use into schools.
At Houston High School, senior Eden Johnson started the Houston Hearts club in partnership with Project ADAM to bring this education to her fellow students. The Houston chapter is named Lawson’s Legacy after Lawson Wherry, who passed away from cardiac arrest at the age of twenty-two. His family has remained close to the Germantown community, as Lawson had attended Houston High School as a freshman. Lawson’s family was there when GMSD received the official certification, and his mom shared, “We raised our boys in Germantown, so it will always have a special place in our hearts. Thank you for doing this, and for all your hard work.”
GMSD students are CPR certified in seventh, ninth, and eleventh grade, and the Houston Hearts Club has now ensured that their fellow classmates as well as staff members feel confident with AED use as well, with each school now ready with an AED response team. This includes our GOAL virtual learning school as well. They were a part of this CPR training, and it also allowed them to engage with students from Houston High School. Eden assured us though that none of this would be possible without Mr. Martin.
Andrew Martin is the Coordinated School Health Supervisor for GMSD, and he is also the sponsor for the Houston Hearts Club. He has worked with the club to make sure that each school became Project ADAM certified, which in turn, led to our district certification. Andy couldn't be more proud of the Houston Hearts Club saying, “It’s been a long journey for Houston Hearts club all working together to make something so special happen, and it was awesome to see it come to fruition. These Houston High School students had a vision and worked so hard to make it happen.”
As the president and founder of the Houston Hearts club, Eden Johnson, is set to graduate in May, she said the Project ADAM certification means so much to her and all of the students who worked so hard to see it through. “This is such a huge accomplishment for the staff members in the district, and everyone involved who helped us make our district the best that it can be. I’m just really proud of everyone that got us to this goal.” Eden also shared with us that the Houston Hearts Club is the only student emergency response team recognized by the state of Tennessee. Eden plans to attend the University of Tennessee where she will be on a pre-med track to become a cardiologist.
GMSD is so proud to be a Project ADAM certified district, and thank you to all of the staff members and students who worked so hard to make this happen. To hear more from Eden, watch her student spotlight below!