In the United States, about 1 in 5 deaths each year are directly related to heart disease. It is estimated that a heart attack occurs every 40 seconds.

Feb. 1964 marked the first observance of American Heart Month, a federal initiative by President Lyndon B. Johnson to raise awareness for cardiovascular disease, an ongoing crisis in America.

Heart disease, while it’s a term covering various conditions, often refers to coronary artery disease (CAD), which affects over 18 million U.S. adults.

CAD occurs due to plaque buildup in the arteries: it develops slowly, often over decades. In many adults, the disease frequently presents as asymptomatic, easily going unnoticed until a major event, such as a heart attack, takes place.

Furthermore, statistics collected by the American Heart Association (AHA) suggest that around 170,000 heart attacks in the U.S. each year are silent. The extremely mild symptoms of a silent heart attack make it difficult for people to identify the incident, leaving behind future threats like unchecked scar tissue.

With CAD being a progressive condition, it’s never too early or too late to take preventive measures and engage in healthy habits. For all ages, the AHA stresses the importance of healthy eating and physical activity, as well as learning the warning signs of a heart attack and stroke.

One popular way of educating children about the importance of physical activity to heart health is through Jump Rope for Heart.

Jump Rope for Heart, officially known as Kids Heart Challenge, is a school fundraiser managed by the AHA for elementary schools specifically. It encourages healthy living and physical activity through various jump rope games.

At Haynesfield Elementary, Jump Rope for Heart is a long-standing tradition. Physical education teacher Coach Stuart Angles has been involved with the event for the past 17 years.

“I do see an excitement when it comes around, especially with our younger students (K, 1st, and 2nd),” Coach Angles said. “It gives me an opportunity to explain what a charity is and why we are doing [it], but also teach about the importance of heart health and lifelong fitness.”

Not only does Jump Rope for Heart help kids create a positive environment around the idea of lifelong physical activity, but it also fosters community by teaching them the value of working together.

“75% of the jumping activities are group-based jumping. They must rely on one another to either turn a rope or hold a rope with their feet in order to be successful. They learn the importance of teamwork when they see success directly related to other students’ efforts,” Coach Angles said.

By associating fun games and activities with the ultimate goal of helping others, Jump Rope for Heart raises awareness and fosters empathy in students for children who are sick.

“[There were] two instances while I’ve been at Haynesfield where students have had friends that had heart issues,” Coach Angles said. “In both cases, they donated money [to the] event to help the American Heart Association as a way to show support for their friends who received indirect support in some way from the AHA.”

In just 17 years, Haynesfield has donated well over $20,000 to the AHA through Jump Rope for Heart.

“That alone makes me want to continue this event and also makes me really proud of the community we have been able to build in Bristol,” Coach Angles said.

Although the AHA emphasizes February as a time to prioritize one’s own heart healt

h, the organization always incorporates a specialized focus into each annual observance. This year, they’re promoting the message “Be The Help Until Help Arrives,” highlighting the importance of knowing Hands-Only CPR.

Cardiac arrest can take place anywhere, at any time. In the event of an emergency, professionals have no way of just teleporting. It doesn’t take a medical degree to step in during a crisis; in fact, knowing CPR and being prepared can make all the difference between life and death.

For many students who plan to pursue healthcare or nursing, health science teacher Pamela Moore teaches basic life support, or BLS. This includes Hands-Only CPR, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, airway obstruction, and even information beyond first aid.

“There are lots of hands-on skills [involved in CPR]. We [first watch] a little bit of a video, and it’ll have a scenario,” Moore said. “Then we talk about what they did right, what they did wrong, and then they all get a mannequin and a baby.”

The class often utilizes mannequins and CPR babies to promote active learning. Junior Rosalyn Cisneros recounts her experiences with the class, including the hands-on exposure that came with it.

“We had a scenario where there was one person [who] fainted, went unconscious, and started having a heart attack and everything. And so, you checked for a heartbeat, and once you lost it, you would do CPR,” Cisneros said.

Even if a student isn’t involved in health classes, there are various places across Bristol that provide lessons in CPR, such as Lambert Training in Bluff City and CPR Choice in Johnson City.

Additionally, various life-saving courses can be searched for through the American Red Cross by typing in a location and selecting the class’s focus.

Freshman Hannah Braddock has gained valuable experience through multiple classes outside of school.

“Lambert Training came to my church and did a [CPR] class, and then the second time [I became certified] was at a nursing summer camp at King University,” Braddock said.

Regardless, applying these skills in real life requires courage, the willingness to help, and the ability to push aside fear for the good of the community.

“We’ve had two lives saved [by] students here at Tennessee High School that have been [from my class],” Moore said. “There are several people who are alive today that maybe would not have been without the CPR training here in our classes.”