The American Heart Association has selected 15 first through 12th grade students from across the country as national Youth Heart Ambassadors for the 2025-26 school year. This initiative comes as young Americans face rising rates of mental and physical health challenges, according to research published in JAMA Network.
Representing the Association's Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge initiatives, the student ambassadors will use their personal connection to heart disease and stroke to encourage others to adopt healthy habits and support children with heart conditions. Each Youth Heart Ambassador has a personal connection to heart disease or stroke, whether as a survivor or a student advocate, and brings a unique voice to the cause.
"These terrific, motivated ambassadors are engaging with their peers making a real impact in their schools and communities," said Lee Shapiro, American Heart Association volunteer board chair. "Their experiences, leadership and compassion will help build a culture of health for future generations, one child, one story and one heartbeat at a time."
Together, the ambassadors will promote the importance of physical and mental well-being, raise awareness of heart disease and stroke prevention, and advocate for Hands-Only CPR and AEDs in schools. The ambassadors include students like Heather, a 10th grader from California who survived a cardiac arrest at school thanks to Hands-Only CPR and an AED, and now advocates for stronger cardiac emergency response plans in schools.
Other ambassadors include Ava from West Virginia, born with Tetralogy of Fallot who had open-heart surgery at three days old; Bodhi from California who underwent open-heart surgery at age 3; and Dylan from Oklahoma, born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome who has undergone three surgeries. The complete list of ambassadors and their stories can be found at heart.org/youthambassador.
The American Heart Association's Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge in-school programs are grounded in science and designed to improve both physical and emotional well-being, support academic success, and help students feel confident in their ability to make a difference. Schools can register for the 2025-26 school year at heart.org/getstarted.
This ambassador program represents a critical approach to addressing youth health challenges by empowering students who have personal experience with cardiovascular conditions to become leaders and educators among their peers. The initiative highlights the growing recognition that peer-to-peer education and personal storytelling can be powerful tools in promoting health awareness and behavioral change among young people.
