Milton Hershey School Student Honored with American Heart Association Award for Saving a Life

Milton Hershey School (MHS) high school student Randy Gibson recently was awarded with the Heartsaver Hero Award from the American Heart Association (AHA) for his efforts in saving the life of another person.
Randy is honored for springing into action and performing cardiac resuscitation until medical personnel arrived when MHS Houseparent Jim Smith suffered a heart attack while running on the Milton Hershey School campus. Randy learned CPR with AED training in his 10th-grade health class. The class teaches students the necessary skills to assist in performing life-saving measures.

“I was just really calm and did what I remembered from class. It was all very surreal because I couldn’t believe I had done something like that. I just never imagined I would save someone’s life,” Randy said.

Each MHS student is given the opportunity to become certified in CPR in 10th-grade. Thanks to the school’s commitment to providing students with necessary life skills and Randy’s quick actions, Smith’s life was saved.

Featured

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Texas District Breaks Ground on Second High School

    The Waller Independent School District in Waller, Texas, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for what will become its second high school, according to a news release.

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Announces Acquisition of JJCA

    Wold Architects & Engineers, based in Minneapolis, Minn., recently announced that it has acquired JJCA, an architecture firm based in Nashville, Tenn., according to a press release. JJCA specializes in healthcare and education design; the partnership allows both firms to expand their presence across the country while building on existing strengths.