- Wakulla County Schools provided free heart screenings for over 450 student-athletes.
- The screenings were funded by a $975,000 grant and aimed at preventing sudden cardiac arrest.
- They partnered with Who We Play For to offer early detection for heart conditions.
- Watch the video to see how initiative emphasizes early detection and student safety
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death for young athletes in the U.S. That’s why the Wakulla County School District is offering free heart screenings to ensure student-athletes stay safe on and off the field.
“Sadly, the Panhandle community lost a football player from Port St. Joe, and our hearts were broken because we have some connections with the team over there,” said Wakulla County Superintendent Rick Myhre.
After a loss that hit close to home, the district wanted to take steps to help prevent this tragedy from happening to Wakulla County athletes.
The schools partnered with Who We Play For, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing sudden cardiac death in youth through affordable heart screenings. This week, students at Wakulla High and Middle Schools were able to participate in free screenings.
Mike Smith, the athletic director at Wakulla High School, shared how witnessing a cardiac arrest firsthand motivates him to support the initiative.
“It was actually an adult, but it was a cardiac arrest, and it’s something you don’t want to go through. If we can do early detection, then I think everybody in the nation should do it,” Smith said.
The screenings, typically costing around $20 per student, were fully funded by a $975,000 grant with the help of the Department of Health .
Although all Florida student-athletes are required to have physicals, the EKG screenings offered through this program are not mandated by the Florida High School Athletic Association.
Superintendent Myhre hopes the free screenings will encourage more students to get screened.
