Article written by Ainsley Hall and published in The Journal on March 6, 2026, link to article HERE.
Hedgesville Middle School officially earned the Heart Safe School designation after meeting all the requirements for Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adam’s Memory). The school was presented with a banner to honor this new designation on March 4 as they celebrated this step in ensuring a safe and healthy school.
Project ADAM started in 1999 when 17-year-old Adam Lemel passed away after suffering a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) during a basketball game. The initiative aims to educate and prepare other schools around the country to be prepared in case of an emergency. Hedgesville Middle School nurse Penny Creel first heard about the organization during a conference and decided she wanted to participate to make sure she was doing everything she could to help her students.
To fulfill the requirements, Creel had to make sure there were AEDs within three minutes of every location on campus, organizing training and establishing a cardiac emergency response team. That meant reaching out to the Berkeley County Board of Education for an additional AED while also applying for grants for a second one, which was matched by Principal Elizabeth Adams. Though Berkeley County Schools provides necessary training and emergency plans, Creel wanted to take it a step further, making Hedgesville Middle School the first designated Heart Safe School in the county.
“With Sudden Cardiac Arrest or medical emergencies, it’s not a matter of if something’s going to happen, but when something’s going to happen,” Creel said. “So, our whole school needs to be prepared. That’s what this was about.”
Besides getting the funds to buy the $2,000 AEDs, Creel said the most challenging part was simply finding the time to move down the check list while also handling her other duties as a school nurse. However, if it ensures the school is extra prepared for an emergency, Creel believes it’s worth it.
“I’m so proud of us,” Creel said. “It was a huge goal of mine to complete this. I’m just so proud that Mrs. Adams worked with us, the board office helped us buy another AED and the staff was willing to team together and do what we needed to do to get this done.”
Creel hopes Hedgesville Middle School will be the first of many other schools to become Heart Safe Schools. She encourages staff to take the extra step to make sure both students and staff are safe and prepared.