Today at lunch, the Red Cross club hosted a bake sale to raise money for CPR training and certification. The sale was held at both campuses and accepted cash and Venmo as forms of payment. 

“I’m not in the Red Cross Club, but they are one of my favorite clubs because of all of the bake sales,” junior Kate Richardson said. “Bake sales are an awesome way to boost community within our school while also enjoying a sweet treat and supporting a worthy cause,”

Red Cross Clubs are officially recognized organizations on school campuses led by middle school, high school, and college students. Club members serve their community through service, education, and leadership as volunteers of the American Red Cross, according to American Red Cross. 

“I really love that the school community supports bake sales for different clubs,” sophomore Siena Bianchi said. “It really shows that we are all there to back one another up,”

Being trained in CPR provides the knowledge, confidence and skills to stay calm in a medical emergency and help a person in need and individuals certified in CPR are prepared to jump into action anywhere a cardiac arrest happens, according to Avive.

Overall, 38 states plus Washington, D.C., have passed laws or adopted curriculum requiring hands-on, guidelines-based CPR training for students to graduate high school and California is not one of those states, according to American Heart Association News. 

“I think CPR certification is definitely a skill we should acquire, because it can save lives,” Bianchi said. “I appreciate that Red Cross is trying to get more people certified and give back to the community,

Completing a CPR course in high school offers significant benefits to participants and everyone they encounter. High school is an already stressful time, and no one should face the prospect of increased mortality due to a lack of education, according to Advanced Medical Certification. 

“It’s really important to be CPR certified — especially as a teenager and a babysitter,” Richardson said. “My friends and I got certified at a friend’s house — we had a certifier come over — and it was a super easy and fun way to do it,”