Valentina and Alejandra Díaz (‘28) have taken their passion for community service and health education to the next level with a CPR and First Aid initiative for La Nueva Escuela (INE), a network of Montessori schools. What started as a Community Service Project during 8th grade has evolved into a mission to empower young students with essential life-saving skills. Through their workshops, Valentina and Alejandra are not only teaching practical techniques but also inspiring confidence and preparedness in the next generation.
Looking ahead, Valentina and Alejandra aim to expand their project’s reach, working closely with INE and recruiting more Baldwin volunteers to join their efforts. Below, they share an overview of their project, the story behind it, and their vision for the future. Stay tuned—we’ll be sitting down with Valentina and Alejandra later this month to dive deeper into their journey and what’s next for this inspiring initiative.
General Overview: Our project aims to raise awareness about the importance of learning and teaching the primary steps of CPR and basic health-related knowledge in Montessori public schools across the island. We designed a fun and engaging course where young students not only learned the basics of hands-on CPR but also how to treat cuts, hemorrhages, burns, how to perform the R.I.C.E method, and additionally, they were introduced to the basics of a First Aid Kit and its tools. Growing up with parents who are doctors, we were fortunate to gain this knowledge from an early age, which helped us understand what to do when injuries occur and the steps to take in such situations. Through this project, we provide these children the same opportunity to gain essential skills, leaving them feeling confident and prepared in a competitive, interactive, and exciting way.
Our Story: It all started in 8th grade when our dad brought us along to a CPR course he had organized for his colleagues. By the end of the course, we realized how important it was for younger generations to learn this life-saving skill. That’s when we decided to take action. We reached out to INE, a network of Montessori public schools in Puerto Rico, and they were excited to collaborate with us. Our first school visit was a major success, and it instantly became one of the most rewarding experiences we’d ever had. Seeing the students light up as they learned how to save lives with their own hands was unforgettable. Since then, we’ve visited three schools, given four presentations, and impacted 71 students from 4th-6th grade. We currently are planning 3 more visits for the semester, and hope that we will follow through with that plan.
Final Mission: We aim to expand our project across the island, recruiting volunteers from Baldwin and other schools. Ideally, we would certify them in CPR (if they aren’t already) and train them to present the information, helping us grow our impact more quickly and efficiently. For the future, we have a few ideas, including creating a book based on our teachings for kids and, eventually, developing it into a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting our beautiful island.
Images and links to videos:
Students practicing First Aid:
