It was May 2014, only a week before finals at an Indianapolis High School, and Day 4 of five consecutive days of CPR instruction. Seated near the back of the room was a tall, stylishly dressed young man. During the first three days of CPR, this young man had consistently seemed focused and attentive, but he never spoke a word even though much of the instruction involves interaction and class participation. On Day 4, our instructor, Molly, needed three male volunteers to come to the front of the class to participate in an interview focused on character assessment. No sooner had she asked for volunteers than this quiet young man bolted out of his chair and rushed to the front of the room. While Molly was admittedly surprised and pleased, she also noticed the alarmed expression of the classroom teacher. Not knowing how to interpret the teacher’s apparent concern, Molly cautiously continued with the demonstration.
The first question was addressed to this quiet young man. Molly asked, “How would you end a first date?” And she added, “Also tell me what you would consider as a good first date.” Pausing only for a moment before answering, our quiet young man responded. His answers were exactly what we would hope a responsible and respectable young man might say if the young woman he was speaking of was your own daughter. Every girl in the room leaned forward as he spoke; once he completed his answer, there was an audible sigh of admiration from all the girls simultaneously. Molly still talks about this amazing moment.
After class, Molly engaged the classroom teacher in a conversation about her apparent concern. The teacher indicated that this was the first time she had ever heard the young man’s voice. She did not even know what his voice sounded like, as he had never spoken in her classroom before that day.
Not only had this young man been empowered by our instructor and program to share himself personally, in doing so he had raised the bar for his peers – the other young men in the room – and had given the girls an expectation for what they could and should expect from any young suitor who might take an interest in them.
Sometimes CPR helps change minds. And sometimes, like in the case of this quiet young man, we help give young people a voice that can influence and change the culture and the thinking of those around them.
