Shaler Area High School has many interesting and fun electives to offer. Because of that, it’s easy for some to slip between the cracks and go unnoticed by most students. One of these is First Responders, taught by Phys. Ed. teacher Ms. Marci Jackley.
First Responders is a hands-on elective designed for students who are interested in emergency medical care, public safety, or simply learning how to help others in crisis situations. The class focuses on real-world skills like CPR, first aid, and emergency response. Students practice how to react in stressful situations, communicate with 911, and even treat life-threatening conditions.
“These are simple things that can be done to potentially save somebody’s life. Things that can be executed that can help somebody in the future,” Ms. Jackley said.
Oddly, this very specialized class was not something Ms. Jackley was looking to teach.
“I didn’t choose (to teach the class). I got volun-told,” Ms. Jackley said.
Years ago, the former teacher of the class retired and had a full roster of students already registered. The school needed someone to take over quickly. Stepping into the role was unlike any other class in the building.
“I had to take the class myself. I actually taught the class while I was taking the EMR class myself. The kids didn’t know that. So I would be two days ahead… I would learn it and then I would teach it,” she said.
She earned her EMR certification through the Red Cross and later did more training to become an EMT. What began as a fill-in assignment became something she continues to teach, many years later.
This class is not a standard lecture course. Students perform hands-on practice, acting out emergency scenarios and learning to remain calm under pressure.
“We do a lot of hands-on stuff. We do a lot of bandaging, a lot of splinting, back boarding. We learn blood pressures, we learn the aid in CPR, and we do rescue breathing and use a lot of the mannequins,” Ms. Jackley said.
There are also many field trips offered through the class as well as fun experiences. Just this year, the class was able to view and learn about a new fire truck the township has, as well as ambulances and other service vehicles on top of taking a field trip.
“We went on a field trip to the 911 dispatch center and Ross/West View EMS for a field trip. This was a very cool experience because of being able to see where your call goes after you call 911. Then from there how the call gets dispersed to different EMS stations. Also getting to see how much equipment, and what they have available to help save lives,” senior Mark Povich said.
Even so, First Responders still flies under the radar. Many students don’t know it exists, but that might be for the better. With all of the hands-on work students do, a smaller class environment makes it better for both Ms. Jackley and the students.
The course even includes interaction with local EMTs and paramedics. For those familiar with the annual mock car crash, that event, held each year on the day of the Prom, is put on by the First Responders class. All the work that they put in goes towards a real Red Cross certification.
So, for those looking for a class that’s hands-on and beneficial in the real world, first responders might be for you.
“What makes the class interesting is just learning basic care for anyone, whether that be a family member, friend, or co-worker later in life. What we have learned in that class will stick with us forever. It’s not like any other health class that we are offered at Shaler,” Povich said.
