Mira M. ’28 Brings a New AED and Heart-Safety Training to Poly

As students, faculty, and staff return to campus, they may not immediately notice one of the newest additions. The Upper School now has an automated external defibrillator (AED) that could be a lifesaver for both children and adults.

The AED was donated to Poly through an initiative led by Mira M. ’28 and her student-led Heart Club, following a community health event hosted at SoFi Stadium in partnership with the Los Angeles Rams. For Mira, the donation represents another step in a mission that began years ago: making basic heart-safety skills, particularly hands-only CPR, accessible to as many people as possible.

Mira first became interested in cardiac arrest in Middle School. “It started in eighth grade. I was looking for a topic for my eighth-grade speech contest, and I stumbled upon cardiac arrest as a big health issue in America,” Mira said. “350,000 Americans die unfortunately each year due to cardiac arrest, so when I learned about CPR, I was really interested.”

That interest quickly became action. Mira asked her mother if she could become certified in CPR and first aid. But after completing the training, she began thinking about how CPR's most essential skills could be taught more simply.

“What I really noticed is that the classes are very long,” Mira said. “It’s three hours to get a full certification, and I thought the skill of CPR is so important because it saves so many lives that it could just be taught separately on its own.”

That idea became Heart Club, which Mira started last year with the goal of teaching students the hands-on portion of CPR in short, approachable sessions.

“I can teach you to do hands-only CPR in five minutes,” Mira said. “Students thought it was really surprising, and I think it just gave them a sense of empowerment now that they can save a person’s life.”

Director of Health Services Hazel Diaz, RN, who serves as an advisor to Heart Club, has watched Mira develop the initiative. “She is very independent and did a lot of these things on her own. Poly is so proud of her,” Nurse Diaz said.

Nurse Diaz’s role has been to provide guidance and help Mira connect with resources, including the American Heart Association. As the Heart Club expanded, Mira acquired training equipment and began bringing the hands-on lessons to Poly events.

At last year’s Poly Pet and Hobby Show, Mira set up CPR mannequins and invited students and families to practice compressions. The informal setting allowed participants to learn without the pressure associated with a traditional certification course.

Mira’s interest in heart health also led her beyond campus. She was invited to SoFi Stadium for a hands-on CPR training event, where she met educators, administrators and students from schools throughout the Los Angeles area. During the event, Mira entered a raffle—and won the AED for Poly.

The donation also complements an expanding effort among Poly faculty and staff to be trained in CPR. According to Nurse Diaz, approximately 43 people were trained in CPR this year, adding to the school’s existing group of trained personnel. Poly also has several CPR instructors on campus.

Mira hopes Heart Club will continue expanding across Poly’s divisions. “Feel free to reach out to me if you want this training because it is really easy, and I’d love to help,” she said. “I would love to bring this to all grade levels so we can all be prepared.”