In an ever-evolving world filled with just about any problem you could think of, there are a few basic skills our young people should learn.

Whether those include taxes, how to change a tire or basic survival skills, some lessons cannot be ignored. One of these is CPR, and every PHS students should master this life-saving skill.

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. We see it in the shows we watch and hear about it, but many people really don’t know how to perform CPR and feel confident in their ability.

In an emergency situation, it is an uncomfortable thought that the people around me wouldn’t be able to help me for the sole fact that they don’t have the knowledge to do so. And in all reality, it’s something that’s super easy to learn.

All students learn the basics in freshman health class, but we also should be certified in CPR, at least before we graduate. It should be a skill everyone should know, and school districts need to fund this training. Districts need to provide funds for this training because it is a vital tool that can determine whether somebody lives or dies.

According to cpr.heart.org, cardiac arrest claims 475,000 Americans annually; 350,000 of these deaths occur someplace other than a hospital. According to 2014 data, about 45 percent of these victims survived when bystanders administered CPR.

Even with this outcome, only about 46 percent of these people actually get bystander CPR. These numbers would be greater if more people were trained to administer emergency CPR.

The statistics speak for themselves. Certify students in CPR. It will literally save lives.