
A teacher is being hailed for saving the life of a seventh-grade student who began choking on food during lunch at a school in Algonquin.
The District 300 Blue Ribbon Society recognized Shellie Kamminga, an eighth-grade math teacher at Westfield Community School in Algonquin, during a board of education meeting on December 17.
Kamminga on October 18 performed lifesaving measures in the cafeteria at Westfield Community School during the lunch hour.
Kamminga noticed seventh-grade student Gunner Garcelon who was unable to breathe.
She sprang into action and performed the Heimlich maneuver on the child, who had food stuck in his throat.
Kamminga’s actions were successful and the food was dislodged from Garcelon’s throat, allowing him to breathe again.
Two weeks prior, Kamminga renewed her CPR and AED certification through District 300. It included instruction in the Heimlich maneuver.
Officials said Kamminga, who was presented with a Blue Ribbon Society certification and pin for her actions, was in the right place at the right time.
“I looked at the student and he was beet red. I asked him if he could make any noise and he shook his head no,” Kamminga said.
Garcelon said he realized he could not breathe and stood up. “I couldn’t talk. It was… scary,” he said.
Kamminga said it was the first time she performed the Heimlich outside of training.
Westfield Community School Principal Jennifer Breeze called Kamminga’s actions “amazing” and said it is critical that there is staff trained to perform lifesaving measures in rare occurrences such as this incident.