New Yorkers: We Need YOUR Help!

   Attention, New Yorkers! The CPR in Our Schools Bill is posted for a hearing in the Assembly Education Committee TOMORROW! The American Heart Association needs YOU to call Speaker Sheldon Silver at 518-455-3791 as soon as you can today (June 18, 2012) and thank him for championing this legislation. This change to school curriculums can help SAVE MANY LIVES! Thank you!

XOXO,

Sarah

CPR in Our Schools Bill in the Senate

   Good morning everyone! Yesterday I learned that the CPR in Our Schools bill, a piece of legislation that other American Heart Association Advocates and I worked to hard to advocate for in Albany, passed in the Senate and is currently being brought to the Assembly! This is a HUGE advancement in Heart-Healthy legislation in New York State.
   For many years, the American Heart Association has made it a point to certify as many people as possible in CPR. I first heard of CPR in Our Schools when beginning with my youth advocacy work at the American Heart Association a few years ago. I learned that the CPR in Our Schools bill would require high school students to be trained in CPR before they graduate. One of my many jobs was to ask Heart Walk attendees to sign a petition that would be sent to Albany. Let me tell you, many people were surprised to hear that CPR was not a requirement to graduate high school! I also spoke with Fred Thiele (who I hope will continue to support the bill in the Assembly and fight hard to convince his fellow Assembly members to pass it, as well) and Ken LeValle (who co-sponsored the bill) about the bill during Lobby Day in New York State.

Other Youth Advocates and I with Senator LaValle during Lobby Day in Albany!

   This is great news for New York and for the American Heart Association. A special thank you goes out to Senator LeValle for being a huge supporter of the CPR in Our Schools bill! Also, thank you to Assemblyman Thiele, who I hope will fight for the bill as well!

XOXO,
Sarah

Southampton High School's Eighth Annual Science Research Symposium

   I was so excited to be apart of my high school's eighth annual Science Research Symposium on Monday, June 4th. The Science Research class is a program designed for science loving students! The class is an optional extra science class where students can design and carry out their own research projects, based on their interests. This past school year was my first year in the program, and I had been eager to start the research process. 

   At the Science Research Symposium, my classmates and I were able to present our year's worth of work for our research. As a first year student, I was given the task of presenting a poster and research paper based on one of the many scientific articles that I have read. My topic, which is very closely associated with Heart U, is The Effect of Physical Fitness on Academic Achievement. I will eventually be researching how physical activity affects the memory and academic achievement in elementary school students.

Presenting my topic to everyone who attended the Science Research Symposium!

My classmate, Natalie, and I receiving awards for our research work at Brookhaven National Lab this year!

   Thank you so much to my Science Research teacher, Mrs. Milton, our school librarian, Ms. Liss, and all of the Science Research Students for allowing the Symposium to run as smoothly as possible!

XOXO,

Sarah

How YOU Can Help Spread Awareness!

   The official Heart U Facebook page has 78 "likes" already! We need YOUR help to spread awareness! Heart U is trying to boost its "likes" to 100 by midnight on Sunday, June 3! You can help by liking the page, and encouraging your friends and family to do the same! Together, we can spread awareness and help to defeat heart disease!

XOXO,

Sarah