[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 83 (Tuesday, June 5, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E981]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         GREENVILLE ELEMENTARY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SHIMKUS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 5, 2012

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the dedication of 
the administration, staff and students of Greenville Elementary School 
in Greenville, Illinois, who went above and beyond in caring for, and 
ultimately saving the life of, one of the school's kindergarteners.
  Emma Young started kindergarten at Greenville Elementary this year, 
but Emma is not your typical kindergartener. Since she was very young, 
Emma suffered seizures and unconsciousness due to a condition that 
doctors were unable to diagnose due to a lack of data. Finally, doctors 
placed an implantable loop recorder in Emma's chest to collect data for 
up to three years in the hopes of collecting the information necessary 
to diagnose Emma's condition.
  Emma's parents met with the school nurse to ensure that school staff 
were aware of her condition and knew what to do. But instead of just 
filing the information away, school staff made a superior effort to 
inform everyone involved with Emma's daily activities in the event that 
their help was needed in an emergency. The school nurse, Emma's 
teacher, and all the faculty and staff who had contact with Emma on a 
daily basis had a special meeting after school to learn about Emma's 
condition and about the monitor implanted in her chest. Her teacher 
made posters with her picture and a photo of the device, with step-by-
step instructions for staff or substitutes to review. The staff even 
developed a plan called ``Code Emma'', and taught the other 
kindergarteners how to recognize when Emma needed help and how to 
announce a Code Emma.
  This spring, Emma's mother, Jill, was at home when she received a 
breathless call from the school secretary informing her that Emma had 
suffered a seizure. She rushed to the school, where an ambulance had 
already arrived to take Emma to the hospital. Riding to the hospital, 
Jill was grateful for the fast response by the school staff, but 
wondered if the staff had remembered to press the button on Emma's 
device so that the data could be collected, and a diagnosis finally 
determined. Emma's condition returned to normal over the next few 
minutes, and she was released from the hospital that day. An hour 
later, Emma's cardiologist called and told Jill that the data had been 
collected, and Emma's condition could finally be diagnosed and treated. 
Emma now has a pacemaker and is receiving life-saving treatment, thanks 
to the doctors and nurses who worked with her, but perhaps most 
importantly, due to the students and staff at Greenville Elementary who 
called out and responded to the Code Emma.
  Emma's mother writes that the students and staff at Greenville 
Elementary are deserving of recognition for their ``commitment to 
education, and their dedication to nurturing and loving children in the 
community. The lessons that are taught inside of the walls at 
Greenville Elementary are not just the mandated ones, but the ones that 
will mold these children into the types of individuals they will 
become.''
  Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to salute the entire 
team at Greenville Elementary for the good work they do in educating 
children in not just the Three Rs, but in caring for others and being 
good citizens. I am proud to represent such an outstanding community 
and such outstanding people.

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