Carson City, Nev. (April 10, 2025) — A ninth-grade student in Carson City is being hailed a hero after using the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills she learned in her Carson High School health science class to save her father’s life.
Two weeks ago, Iris Ibarra Montes rehearsed the life-saving steps to save father after he collapsed from a medical emergency at home.
She said she quickly recognized the signs of cardiac arrest, called 911 and immediately began performing life-saving chest compressions.
Iris performed CPR for more than 10 minutes, with no other adults in the house, while she waited for paramedics to arrive.
She credits her “Principles of Health Science” teacher, Frank Sakelarios, saying she would have no idea how to react in the situation if it weren’t for his hands-on training and skills she learned in his class.
“I just remembered what we practiced in class,” Iris said. “It all happened so fast, but I knew I had to keep going until help arrived.”
Upon arrival, paramedics found the father unresponsive but were able to resuscitate him. They credited Iris’ fast, effective response with helping stabilize her father’s condition before they transported him to the hospital.
He is now recovering with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) but is expected to make a full recovery.
“Iris is an outstanding student and a shining example of how education can be applied in real-world emergency situations,” Sakelarios said. “As a first-year student in this program, she has already distinguished herself as one of the kindest, most hardworking, and deeply committed individuals—both in her academics and in her devotion to her family. I know her family hopes this experience will inspire other students to learn more about the program and consider following in her footsteps.”
Carson High’s Principles of Health Science is the introduction class for three Health Science pathways in the school’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program.
All Health Sciences students are also members of HOSA – Future Health Professionals, one of six Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) at Carson High School.
The Level 1 course introduces students to human structure and function. Areas of study include anatomy, healthcare delivery systems, medical terminology, emergency management, health information technology and legal practices.
Throughout the course, students demonstrate skills in CPR and first aid. They also learn the appropriate use of technology and industry standard equipment as an integral part of the course.
Kelly Gustafson, health sciences teacher and Sakelarios’ counterpart as a HOSA Advisor, said the training students receive in classes offered at Carson High make them more qualified than most teachers and coaches who are typically only Heart-Saver CPR Certified.
“Frank and I certify close to 200 students each year in the American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR/AED for healthcare professionals,” Gustafson said. “This is a level above most CPR card holders and includes infant through adult, two-person and team BLS.”
According to her school counselor, Maddie Hull-Taylor, Iris is ranked in the Top 20% of her class with a 3.43 grade point average (GPA).
She is scheduled to take sports medicine next year in the HOSA program, and after working with the paramedics and nurses who helped save her dad’s life, Iris plans to continue her medical education and go into nursing.
Iris said she was anxious to come back to school after missing a week to spend time with her family. After hearing how proud her teachers were of her, she was eager to get back to class.
Just last month, CHS CTE HOSA had 74 students and three advisors attend the State Leadership Conference where four students were named State Champions and more than 40 others qualified for the International Leadership Conference in Nashville, June 18-21. The students competed in a variety of medical competitive events against more than 1,400 students in Nevada.
About CHS CTE
Carson High School’s Career and Technical Education program encompasses a vast number of classes and programs that teach today’s students the high demand skills needed to get a job. CTE better prepares students for post-secondary education and/or the world of work, whether they choose to enter the workplace directly from high school or select to pursue post-secondary education in a technical training program, apprenticeship, or a two, or four-year college. CTE prepares students for the world of work by introducing them to workplace competencies and makes academic content accessible to students by providing it in a hands-on context.
ABOUT Carson City School District
Located in Nevada’s capital, Carson City School District offers public education to approximately 7,300 students throughout Carson City. The district includes 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 1 alternative high school and 1 comprehensive high school. Carson City School District boasts many successes including impressive graduation rates, strict safety measures, programs for gifted students and advanced-placement classes, among several others. For more information, visit carsoncityschools.com.
