Eagle County Students Keep CPR Training Alive After Budget Cuts

Aspen —“Just like students know to stop, drop and roll, they need to know ‘Call.Push.Shock.’ They need to be aware of what to do in case of emergency,” Janet Newman, the director of education for Starting Hearts, told The Vail Daily.

It is a simple mantra, but one that carries the weight of life and death in Eagle County’s hallways. For years, local students have been learning these rhythms through a program supported by state funding, but recent budget cuts threatened to silence the lesson. Now, thanks to a private donation, the “Call.Push.Shock.” curriculum will continue through the 2026-27 school year, ensuring that the next generation of Eagle County residents knows how to act when a heart stops.

The program, run by the local nonprofit Starting Hearts, is not just about memorizing steps; it is about building a layer of protection across the community. Newman explained in her interview that the training covers everything from recognizing cardiac arrest to calling 911, performing CPR, and using an automated external defibrillator, or AED. It is taught through a mix of video and hands-on education, delivered by various teachers and staff across the district.

What makes this initiative particularly resonant in a tight-knit community like Eagle County is its scalability. The program does not treat every child the same; it grows with them. Lower elementary students learn the vocabulary of heart function, using CPR mannequins and AED trainers to become familiar with the physical act of saving a life. By the time they reach high school, students are using technical terminology to identify conditions that cause cardiac arrest, such as drug and alcohol use, while honing the leadership and team skills necessary for real-life scenarios.

“Young children can not only respond by using their own skills, but also, if they are not able to give good-quality compressions, they can tell someone else how to do it and they can take their education home to their parents,” Newman said.

This transfer of knowledge is vital, especially since sudden cardiac arrest happens mostly outside of hospitals. Newman noted that while young children already know how to call 911 or run from danger, applying those instincts to a medical emergency is a distinct skill. By educating both the young and the old, the program expands the pool of bystanders who might step in during a crisis.

The financial lifeline that keeps this program alive comes from Arthur and Jodi Israel, longtime donors to Starting Hearts. Arthur Israel, a retired physician and three-decade Eagle County resident, told The Vail Daily that he viewed it as “a great cause.” His wife Jodi and he were approached by Newman to play a role in funding the program, driven both by their support for education and by witnessing Newman’s own commitment. They decided to make the donation in her honor, a gesture that underscores the personal connections that often sustain local institutions.

As the school year approaches, the focus returns to the classroom and the gym, where students will practice those compressions and shout out the commands. It is a quiet revolution happening in Eagle County, one breath at a time.