- May 18, 2024
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Three Beachside Elementary students and one staff member who helped save a student from choking received Superintendent Heroism Awards at a School Board meeting on Tuesday, June 13.
Ann Strader, an office specialist and Title 1 paraprofessional, has lunch duty in the cafeteria. During one of her shifts before the end of school, third graders Chauncey Hankerson, Dominic Checchi and Cai Allenshe told her that another student was in trouble.
"They said, ‘She’s choking!’” Strader said at the board meeting. "... So I ran over to the student."
Strader asked the girl if she was choking, and the girl responded with a nod, holding her hand around her throat, Strader said.
Strader performed the Heimlich maneuver, dislodging a piece of food from the girl's throat.
Beachside Elementary Principal Lynn Bruner told the district about Strader’s lifesaving act, and Strader and the three students received the Superintendent Heroism Award, presented by VCS Superintendent Carmen Balgobin.
On its Facebook page, VCS commended Strader and the students.
"Thank you for paying attention and making good choices that saved another student’s life," the district stated in a post.
The three boys who alerted Strader were also invited to the board meeting to be recognized.
“They did the right thing,” Bruner said.
