Students at Kirkland Seventh-day Adventist School experienced a truly memorable morning when Alicia Anderson, KSDA student, learned she'd won an all-expense-paid trip to Super Bowl 60. What began as a routine school assembly quickly became a campus-wide celebration as classmates and teachers erupted in cheers and applause.
Representatives from American Heart Association, two Seahawks dancers and Bryan Walters, Seahawks legend, visited the gym to deliver the news. While standing beside her mother, it was discovered that Anderson was one of only five students nationwide selected for this honor. Her name was drawn from participants in the American Heart Association’s Kids Heart Challenge who completed Hands-Only CPR training during the previous school year.
The announcement, held on Sept. 5, 2025, underscored the value of heart-health education and the strength of community partnerships. The surprise event reflected AHAs collaboration with the NFL and Seattle Seahawks to expand CPR education. The initiative supports an ambitious goal to double survival rates from cardiac emergencies by 2030 through broader awareness, school-based programs and practical skills training.
Through the Healthy Hearts program at KSDA, students learned about nutrition, exercise, hydration, rest and other daily habits that support whole-person wellness. They also practiced CPR and learned how to act calmly in emergencies. Even younger students gained confidence that they can play an important role in protecting the lives of family members, friends and neighbors.
This initiative aligns with the mission of Adventist education, which emphasizes caring for the whole person — body, mind and spirit. By participating in the Kids Heart Challenge, students gain practical knowledge while growing in compassion, empathy and readiness to serve. The experience reinforces KSDA’s commitment to service-oriented learning and to equipping students with skills that translate to real-life help in their communities.
For Anderson and her classmates, the assembly became a vivid lesson that healthy choices and preparedness open unexpected doors. The excitement that filled the gym reflected the joy of seeing one student honored and the shared realization that simple skills can save lives. After the announcement, students and staff expressed renewed interest in pursuing additional training and inviting families to learn CPR together.
AHA encourages households, churches and community groups to learn CPR so they can respond when it matters most. Through partnerships like this, schools such as KSDA are helping raise a generation ready to live healthfully, serve faithfully and make a difference — one healthy heart at a time.
A routine school assembly turns into cheer as representatives from the Seattle Seahawks surprise the school.
Alicia, KSDA student, (right) is presented with tickets to Super Bowl 60.
Students enjoy meeting Boom, a member of the Seattle Seahawks family.
Laurie Yoshihara, KSDA principal, smiles as she meets Bryan Walters, football legend.
