‘‘Parents tend to hire babysitters more if they have certifications,” she said. After the 5 1⁄2-hour course, the girls all received CPR certifications that would be good for two years.
Though the girls were mostly very attentive and serious during the training, some giggles came out as girls who had never diapered babies before got to practice on a live infant boy and girl.
‘‘Girls who had never had to diaper before had to diaper these squirmy little guys,” Prescott said. ‘‘It got some giggles.”
The Newells travel around the area giving classes in CPR and first aid techniques. Formerly first aid instructors for the Red Cross, they have been teaching life-saving techniques since the late-1970s, Suzanne Newell said. Larry Newell is a publisher and a former paramedic and also teaches cardiac technology at Northern Virginia Community College.
Prescott said she was pleased by the level of concentration the Girl Scouts were paying to the material, noting how difficult it can be to keep 50 children on task.
However, Suzanne Newell said it can be easier to teach children CPR than it is to instruct adults.
‘‘Kids absorb it really fast. They’re used to being in a classroom environment,” she said.
When it came time for the girls to learn the practical application of CPR techniques, Suzanne Newell did not condescend to her audience. While demonstrating the technique on an infant-sized mannequin, she appealed to the girl’s youthful sense of humor.
Placing her fingers on a piston on the ‘‘baby’s” chest, she said, ‘‘This is between where the nipples would be,” eliciting laughter from the scouts.
The class also covered basic use of an automated external defibrillator, although Newell said the girls would only see the device and learn about it, as practicing its use could be dangerous.
Prescott said that life-saving knowledge is an important part of a Girl Scout’s education, and it can be difficult to find good instructors in the area. ECSI offered a nonprofit price of $30 per person to the Girl Scouts; Prescott charged $40 and set aside the extra money for the girls to attend scout camps, she said.
The girls received three badges for their participation in the course — first aid, child care and game-playing.
Parents were pleased with their children’s participation in the course, Prescott said. ‘‘I’ve been getting a lot of positive e-mails back from parents and leaders.”
