On Monday, Feb. 7 and Tuesday, Feb. 8, members from St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital came to Robinson and demonstrated how to do hands-only CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed a bill into law that requires all public high school students to take a one-hour CPR course during their freshmen or junior year in order for them to graduate.

“CPR is a very important skill that everybody should know because everybody has a heart,” one of the educators, Colette Boggs said. “By doing just hands-only CPR, you move all the oxygenated blood around to the vital organs and you sustain life until emergency medical services come.”

Boggs first shows the students multiple clips, including one of which a 17-year-old girl from Pinellas Parks had to perform CPR on her dad. She also went on and talked about how a student at Wharton High School had to have CPR performed on him when he went unconscious in the middle of the hallway and how it saved his life.

Students were then shown a clip of how to actually perform the technique. And after viewing it twice, students filed in to try it on the fake mannequin bodies themselves. As instructors guided them through the process, they seem to all had a fun time trying to get the green light to turn on on the manikins while learning this important life skill.

Gallery • 7 Photos

Photo Cecilia Cheng

Russell Vifquain ('23) and Isabella Cuevas ('23) attempts to perform hands-only CPR. "I think what they did was super helpful, I learned a lot and it was a great experience to be a part of," Vifquain said. "You never know when something's going to happen, so it could never hurt to learn CPR."