DALLAS - March 26, 2026 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - According to American Heart Association data, 9 out of every 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, in part because they do not receive immediate CPR more than half of the time. To help change this, the American Heart Association, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone everywhere, has awarded 32 Nation of Lifesaver™ financial grants to American Heart Association Heart Clubs at high schools and colleges in 20 states, including the District of Columbia. These grants will make it easier for students and educators across the country to learn CPR and strengthen the Association’s nationwide movement to double survival rates from cardiac arrest by 2030.

American Heart Association Heart Clubs are student-led organizations on high school and college campuses, empowering members to lead activities that support physical and mental well-being while making a meaningful impact in their communities. Started in the 2024-2025 school year, there are now more than 250 of these student-led groups across the U.S. Heart Clubs at the following schools will receive Nation of Lifesavers grants:

Colleges:

• University of Rhode Island, in Kingston, R.I.
• Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va.
• Howard University in Washington D.C.
• Villanova University in Radnor Township, Pa.
• Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.
• Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio
• University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.
• Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn.
• Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga.
• Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Ala.
• Grambling State University in Grambling, La.
• The University of Texas at Austin in Austin, Texas
• California State University, Fresno in Fresno, Ca.
• Molloy University, Rockville Centre, N.Y.

High Schools:

• Hampshire Regional High School in Westhampton, Mass.
• Clara Barton High School for Health Professions in Brooklyn, N.Y.
• Locust Valley High School in Locust Valley, N.Y.
• The Ursuline School in New Rochelle, N.Y.
• Bayside High School in Virginia Beach, Va.
• George Washington High School in Charleston, W. Va.
• Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in Miami, Fla.
• Samuel Wolfson School for Advanced Studies in Jacksonville, Fla.
• Alliance Academy for Innovation in Cumming, Ga.
• Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School in Hendersonville, Tenn.
• Pflugerville High School in Pflugerville, Texas
• TCC SE Mansfield ISD Early College High School at Timberview in Arlington, Texas
• Davis Senior High School in Davis, Calif.
• Mt. Carmel High School in San Diego, Calif.
• Newark Memorial High School in Newark, Calif.
• Ruben S. Ayala High School in Chino Hills, Calif.
• Vanden High School in Fairfield, Calif.
• West Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas, Nev.

“When my son’s heart stopped, his coaches knew exactly what to do and jumped into action. But not everyone is that lucky,” said Pia Scarfo Allocca, mother of Francesco Allocca who experienced sudden cardiac arrest at tryouts for the Locust Valley High School basketball team, in Long Island, New York in November, 2025. “Once people knew what was happening, their training kicked in. Someone started compressions. Someone grabbed the AED. My son is alive because his school was prepared.”

“Preparation should be the norm, not the exception,” said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association and senior vice president of women’s health and executive director of the Katz Institute for Women’s Health of Northwell Health in New York City. “These Heart Club grants will support the student volunteers and teacher advocates across this country working to save lives through CPR training and education.”

For colleges, the Nation of Lifesaver grants include funding for two CPR in Schools Kits, complete with manikins and training materials, and $500 to facilitate CPR training on their college campus. These grants give Heart Club leaders everything they need to promote the lifesaving skill of CPR to students and faculty.

For high schools, the grants will provide funding to help create safer school environments, by providing funding to develop a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan for their individual school, provide card-credentialed CPR First Aid AED training for students and faculty, raise awareness with CPR in Schools Kits, and advocate for public policies that make schools safer.

The American Heart Association is the worldwide leader in resuscitation science, education and training, and publishes the official scientific guidelines for CPR. The latest CPR clinical guidelines were published October 22, 2025 in the Association’s flagship journal, Circulation.

The Association’s Nation of Lifesavers initiative is committed to turning a nation of bystanders into lifesavers. The long-term goal: to ensure that in the face of a cardiac emergency, anyone, anywhere, is prepared and empowered to perform CPR and become a vital link in the chain of survival. Join the Nation of Lifesavers by learning CPR. Walgreens is a proud national sponsor of Nation of Lifesavers.

Additional Resources:

• Multimedia is available on the right column of this release link.
• Spanish news release
• 2025 CPR Guidelines Highlights
• Visit heart.org/nation to learn CPR.
• Bystander CPR | Bystander CPR Infographic (PDF)
• Hands-Only CPR Resources
• Hands-Only CPR vs CPR with Breaths
• Women and CPR
• Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack
• Reducing Disparities for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest – Community Toolkit: English and Spanish versions available
• Take 90 seconds to learn how to save a life at www.heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

For Media Inquiries: 214-706-1173

Libby.Ridenhour@Heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

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