Today we shine our community spotlight on Williamsville East 10th grader Charlie Levin. Son of Merredith and Ken Levin, Charlie is an active participant in the Buffalo Jewish Teen Initiative and is a writer for the East Side News, his student newspaper.

Charlie also works to create opportunities for his peers to learn life-saving skills. On Sunday, February 4th, he will be facilitating a CPR/AED training event for the Buffalo Jewish Teen Initiative with Buffalo CPR. Teens will learn how to respond to cardiac emergencies using CPR and AED machines. Teens who complete the 3-hour training will not only receive a 2-year HeartSaver certification, but most importantly, Charlie says, they “will have the proper training and life-long knowledge to save a life.”

Charlie knows first-hand how important it is to learn these skills. “CPR has saved my life in the past,” he shares. “Cardiac arrest is a very dangerous thing that could be fatal if not handled properly. I am so grateful that when that happened to me, the people around me were trained to save my life.” Charlie is taking his experiences and transforming them into opportunities for teens to learn from and help others. “I am inspired by Charlie’s motivation to make an impact on his community,” says Manager of Jewish Experience Regina Misercola. “Charlie has been at the helm of organizing this training and truly wants to pay it forward.”

Charlie encourages all Jewish teens, no matter how Jew-ish they may be, to get involved. Through participating in the initiative, Charlie notes that he has made “very good friends and lifelong memories.” Teens in 8th through 12th grade are invited to become a HeartSaver on February 4th. To register for Charlie’s CPR/AED training, click here. For more information, reach out to Regina at regina@buffalojewishfederation.org.