OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Hundreds of families gathered at Northbridge University’s Kissimmee campus Saturday morning for the school’s annual back-to-school event, where children received free backpacks and school supplies. At the same time, parents and students learned lifesaving CPR skills.
The event at Plaza del Sol was designed to help students start the school year prepared and to connect families with community resources.
Families received backpacks filled with school essentials, including notebooks, binders, glue sticks, colored pencils, pencil cases and other classroom supplies. Community organizations also distributed personal care items such as toothbrushes, shampoo and conditioner.
For Amalia Guerrios, the event helped ease some of the financial burden of back-to-school shopping as her granddaughter prepares to start school.
“Yeah, definitely. And as well, for the tax-free, it’s a little easier but still a lot,” Guerrios said.
In addition to school supplies, families had the opportunity to participate in Hands-Only CPR demonstrations led by the American Heart Association.
The training comes as Florida expands cardiac emergency education in schools. Under Florida’s Cardiac Emergencies law, students are now required to receive hands-on CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) instruction once in middle school and again in high school.
During the demonstrations, participants learned three key steps: recognizing a cardiac emergency, calling 911, and performing high-quality chest compressions until emergency responders arrive.
Ashley Cooper said learning the technique gave her confidence that she or her family could help in an emergency.
“I was just telling my other daughter when she was asking, ‘What is it for?’ And I was like, ‘Just in case somebody can’t breathe. Like you can be the answer and basically save a life possible,’” Cooper said.
Her 11-year-old daughter, Neveah, said she believes the training could help protect the people she cares about.
“Because just in case something happens to a family member or me, they can help that person,” Neveah Cooper said.
Northbridge University partnered with the American Heart Association to provide the CPR instruction as part of the annual event, combining back-to-school preparation with health and safety education for families.
The university’s annual giveaway is one of several community events aimed at helping Central Florida students begin the school year with the supplies and resources they need to succeed.