(New Carlisle, IN) - A New Prairie High School teacher has earned national recognition for her efforts to prevent sudden cardiac deaths.
Tonya Aerts teaches biomedicine at New Prairie. She began her advocacy for AEDs and CPR training in 2019 following the death of New Prairie Senior Mark Mayfield. Mayfield passed away from sudden cardiac arrest after collapsing during an intramural basketball game at the school.
Aerts introduced Project ADAM to Indiana and established New Prairie as the state’s first Heart Safe high school in 2021. Project ADAM is a nationwide program that helps communities prepare for effective response to cardiac events. Currently there are more than 40 designated Heart Safe Schools in Indiana.
Aerts works closely with community organizations such as the Play for Jake Foundation, Heath Foundation of LaPorte, Zac Mago Foundation, Zoll Public Safety, and NW Indiana Area Health Education Center. She has provided more than 500 CPR certifications for students at New Prairie. In addition, she has provided more than 2,000 CPR/AED training sessions to NPUSC athletic teams and spearheaded heart screenings for more than 300 Hoosier students attending the annual HOSA State Conference. Earlier this year, New Prairie staff members saved someone’s life in the middle school parking lot, thanks to proper AED training.
For her efforts, Parent Health Watch has named Aerts their 2025 Hero for Young Hearts Adult Advocacy Champion. Parent Heart Watch is a national organization solely dedicated to protecting children and young adults from sudden cardiac arrest through advocacy and policy change. Each year, PHW honors individuals who demonstrate an unwavering commitment to raising awareness about sudden cardiac arrest in children and young adults through impactful actions that advance PHW's mission to protect children and young adults from preventable sudden cardiac death.
Aerts will receive her award at the annual Heart to Heart PHW conference in Portland, Oregon in January.
If you would to learn more about Project ADAM Heart Safe Schools, please email Project ADAM - Indiana at projectadam@iuhealth.org.
