The recipient of the 2023-2024 #BeAHelper award is Landon Nickel.  Landon is a member of the 2024 graduation class at Cascia Hall Preparatory School.  If you were to look in Helper Helper, Landon has served 93 hours of service as a high school student. However, the service project that Landon submitted for this recognition wasn’t captured in this figure, putting in extra time to fuel this service project.

Landon Nickel, Cascia Hall Preparatory School, Class of 2024

What organization/project did you work with the most?  How did you get involved with this program?

Junior year, my best friend suffered a cardiac arrest during a football game. Parents from both bleachers immediately rushed down to administer CPR and supply him with oxygen until the ambulance arrived, saving his life. Although I was overjoyed he survived, several perturbing reflections lingered in my brain in the following weeks; I kept thinking about what would happen if his heart had stopped in a game between two financially disadvantaged schools. In this scenario, we cannot rely on there always being parent doctors in the stands. I reached out to the American Heart Association where I spearheaded a fundraising campaign, aimed at securing CPR training kits for underprivileged schools throughout Tulsa to effectively prepare their students to react in desperate situations. I met with 11 corporate sponsors, securing funding for training kits in 33 schools (~$26,400). Our efforts will guarantee that thousands of Tulsa students, who otherwise would have been learning CPR on pillows or outdated equipment, will receive effective, applicable training every year until the kits expire.

What does spending time in the service of others mean to you?

 Anytime I am serving others, my intentions are never transactional but focused entirely on giving. Nonetheless, I always receive something in return; volunteering gives me sincere satisfaction and fulfillment. Demonstrating gratitude for the blessings in my life takes no better form than dedicating time to secure privileges and fundamental necessities for others, like healthcare.

What did you learn from the experience that you would want to share with your fellow students? 

 I have learned that humans possess an inherent willingness to support people and projects that are genuinely pursuing societal change and betterment. As long as we can demonstrate our passion, motivation, and direction, people will always be there to help!