Shelbyville teacher receives Certificate of Merit

Certificate of Merit recipient, Amy Wells, poses with the owner of Jacobs Ladder, Shelbyville Mayor Tom Hardesty and representatives from the offices of Senator Rand Paul and Congressman Brett Guthrie.

Maria Jacobs, owner of Jacobs Ladder Preschool in Shelbyville, KY, requires that all teachers be CPR/First Aid certified. That requirement paid off last August when teacher Amy Wells helped save a child's life using her American Red Cross training. Amy had just received her re-certification in CPR/First Aid when 3-year-old Kaden Fritter began choking on a snack. She used back blows and abdominal thrusts, skills she learned at the Red Cross, to dis-lodge the snack and help save Kaden's life.

Tuesday morning, members of the Shelby County Service Center had the honor of awarding Amy with a Certificate of Merit. The certificate is the highest honor the American Red Cross awards to community members who use their Red Cross health and safety training to help save or sustain a life. The certificate was signed by President Barack Obama and Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, chairman of the American Red Cross. Shelbyville Mayor Tom Hardesty and representatives for Senator Rand Paul and Congressman Brett Guthrie attended to help celebrate the award.

After the incident, Amy used her skills once again to assist a child experiencing a seizure. In spite of the challenges her job poses, she loves working with kids and plans to continue teaching at Jacobs Ladder. "It's like a home to me here at Jacobs Ladder," Amy said. "It's a warm place to work at and the kids are awesome. I wouldn't trade it for anything."

See more pictures of the award ceremony on our Flickr page.