Podcast Description

In this Learning Lab episode, Kathleen Bates, Youth Initiatives Coordinator, sits down with Makaylla Talavera, a graduate from Pasadena Memorial High School's class of 2025. On the evening of Saturday, February 1, 2025, gunshots erupted during a band competition, chaos and fear began to spread and while students, staff, and families fled for safety, the shooter was quickly disarmed. While the four men who detained the shooter were honored for their heroism, another hero went unknown and unrecognized. That hero is Makaylla Talavera. This interview recounts those chaotic moments as gunshots erupted and how Makaylla applied her Teen Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training to evacuate the gunshot victim and save his life. Makaylla also shares her thoughts on how schools can help teens be prepared for any emergency.

If you are interested in learning more about engaging students in grades 1-12 in emergency preparedness or how you can host a Youth Emergency Preparedness Training, visit Ready.gov/kids for curriculum lesson plans, games, social media toolkits, how to start a youth preparedness program, information about Teen CERT, and more.