The American Heart Association and the National Football League (NFL) Foundation have announced the winners of incentive prizes designed to encourage young people to learn Hands-Only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Five students received two tickets each to Super Bowl LX, scheduled for February 8, 2026, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and five schools were awarded $10,000 each for physical activity equipment makeovers. The prizes were part of the Association's in-school programs, Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge, during the 2024-25 school year.
The student winners are Hanrock of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania; Frankie of Appleton, Wisconsin; Lucy of Riverview, Florida; Chelsie of Rockwall, Texas; and Alicia of Kirkland, Washington. The schools receiving equipment makeovers are East Pointe Elementary School in Greenwood, Arkansas; Ehrman Crest Elementary School in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania; Orchard Park Elementary School in Fort Mill, South Carolina; Stratford School in San Francisco, California; and Stephen-Argyle Central Elementary School in Stephen, Minnesota.
“At the American Heart Association our future is about improving yours. Through the generous incentives provided by the NFL we are working together to motivate more students to complete the Hands-Only CPR module and share what they learned with their families, expanding awareness of how to respond in a cardiac emergency,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. “Through our collaboration with the NFL, we reached more schools and empowered more students with the lifesaving skill of CPR.”
More than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur annually in the United States, with 70% occurring at home, according to the American Heart Association. Bystander CPR can double or triple a person's chance of survival, yet it is performed in fewer than half of cases. A scientific statement from the Heart Association shows that children as young as four can impact survival by calling 911. The collaboration with the NFL is part of the Association's goal to double survival rates of cardiac emergencies by 2030.
“Our collaboration with the American Heart Association will ensure that young people across the country are equipped with the knowledge and confidence to act in a cardiac emergency,” said NFL Vice President of Philanthropy and Executive Director of the NFL Foundation Alexia Gallagher. “By empowering the next generation with these lifesaving skills, we are not only strengthening the chain of survival today, but also helping to build healthier, safer communities for the future.”
The NFL's support includes a video by Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills safety and cardiac arrest survivor, who shares that CPR saved his life. The video appears in the Kids Heart Challenge Hands-Only CPR online learning module. Each elementary student who completed the module earned an entry for Super Bowl LX tickets, and schools received entries for equipment makeovers.
The NFL Foundation renewed its commitment for the 2025-26 school year, offering five student participants tickets to Super Bowl LXI on February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and five schools $10,000 fitness equipment makeovers. Entries are available now for those completing Finn's Mission. Parents and school administrators can visit heart.org/schools to learn how their students can participate.
The American Heart Association encourages everyone to join the Nation of Lifesavers initiative. Take 90 seconds to learn how to save a life at heart.org/nation.
