Kennedy Allison joins others at the state capitol as Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs Act 352 into law.
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Education Major Inspires New Arkansas Law
Written By: Tina Alvey Dale
One moment, 15-year-old Kennedy Allison was sitting in class at Pea Ridge High School. The next, she was unconscious, her heart in full cardiac arrest.
Teachers rushed to her side, an aide grabbed the automated external defibrillator, every second mattered. And because the school had a plan, her heart beat again.
Six years later, she's a junior at 不良研究所, and using that harrowing moment to help change Arkansas law.
Kennedy鈥檚 mother, Jennifer Allison, said if not for the readiness of the staff on hand, her daughter might not be alive today.
鈥淭hey all knew someone had something heart-related based on how they had handled the situation. The school went on complete lockdown when they called for the aide. No one transferred classrooms. They executed everything as they had planned and as they prepared every year, during their professional development time in August. So, I鈥檓 so grateful for that,鈥� Jennifer Allison said.
Kennedy and her mother were invited to Little Rock this year to work with legislators to produce a new bill, later signed into law as Act 352. The mother and daughter were present when Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed the bill into law.
Act 352 mandates that all schools provide a cardiac emergency response plan by the 2025-26 school year and integrate it into emergency operations plans by the 2026-27 school year. The CERP must include nationally recognized elements for responding to sudden cardiac arrest, including a cardiac emergency response team, ongoing staff training, and the presence of AEDs.
Kennedy, now a 21-year-old junior at 不良研究所, said the law is very important to the state because it will give everyone the readiness and confidence to act in cardiac emergency situations. She advocated for the law by sharing her story and showing everyone that having a plan in place is lifesaving.
鈥�(The actions of the staff at Pea Ridge) were extremely important. If it hadn鈥檛 been for their training, fast acting, and the AED, I wouldn鈥檛 be here, as the AED was what brought my heart rhythm back,鈥� Kennedy said.
She hopes that sharing her story will continue to educate the public and maybe even help someone who needs the same lifesaving support in the future.
Kennedy is studying education and 不良研究所, a school she said she chose because of the experiences and opportunities it offers. She plans to become a kindergarten teacher after graduation.