The American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke in the United States. A shared focus on cardiovascular health unites its more-than 40-million volunteers. My son Reese, a sixth-grader, is one of them. Imagine my surprise when he was chosen to be a 2022 Teen of Impact South West Region by the association. This honor was bestowed upon 20 teens who will compete with their teams to raise money and awareness of heart disease. 

Despite his young age, Reese is passionate about the association’s goals, and he and his team are doing everything they can to help promote heart health awareness. 

For an eight-week period, which began February 4 and will end on April 7, he and his fundraising team will compete for  points to earn the national title of 2022 Teen of Impact for the American Heart Association. Joining the Teen of Impact initiative provides him with the opportunity to join fellow changemakers and use his voice to make a difference. Each week there is a different topic, such as movement, vaping  and mental well-being. Through this, he is learning to teach, take charge and advocate for his health and that of others, and change policy.  He is also gaining experience, skills, and connections in fields like healthcare, business, finance, leadership, nonprofit and social media that will set him apart in college and his future career.

Reese and his team have created a fundraising page, and they are asking people to donate to the American Heart Association. They are also planning a variety of events to raise money and awareness by texting REESETOI to 71777. He is a remarkable young person who is already making a real difference in the world. 

In this episode, I speak with Reese about the American Heart Association and the Teens of Impact program. We also talk about why he chose to be a part of this program and what he hopes to accomplish. 

—William Jeffery is curating Flipboard EDU Podcast

“Coach Jeffery” is an award-winning digital learning educator and principal at Columbia High School in Texas. His tech pedagogy continues to drive him to curate educational content on Flipboard that highlights teaching strategies, edtech, and ways to improve student success. He hosts the “Flipboard EDU Podcast” as yet another way to share resources with peers.