Four 14-year-old freshmen at Santa Monica High School are on a mission to ensure their classmates know how to save a life.
Louisa Gubbins, June Gallagher, Jade Martinez and Bryce Kyle have founded a Stop the Bleed club at the school, becoming part of a national public health initiative backed by the U.S. Department of Defense that trains civilians to treat severe bleeding injuries before emergency responders arrive.
The club, which received official approval from the Stop the Bleed Coalition in March, will launch in Fall 2026 with an ambitious goal: train 300 students and staff members in its first year.
"The course was empowering because it showed us that ordinary people — even teenagers — can take action in the critical minutes before paramedics arrive," Gubbins said.
The idea took root in February when Gubbins invited her three friends to attend a Stop the Bleed training course taught by her mother, a nurse anesthetist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles who volunteers as a certified instructor for the program.
After completing the training and earning their certifications, the four students recognized an opportunity to bring those skills to their peers.
Stop the Bleed is often described as "CPR for bleeding," teaching participants three essential techniques: applying a tourniquet, applying direct pressure and packing a wound. The training emphasizes that severe bleeding can become fatal in as little as three to five minutes — often faster than emergency services can respond.
According to the Department of Defense program, more than 30,000 lives could be saved each year if more people received this basic training.
The program also encourages creative problem-solving when medical supplies are unavailable. A shoelace can serve as an improvised tourniquet. A shirt can be used to pack a wound. The goal is to empower bystanders to act with whatever resources they have.
For these four students, who have grown up practicing lockdown drills since elementary school, the training carries particular significance.
"When we were younger in elementary school, the realities behind those drills were shielded from us. Now we understand more clearly what they are meant to prepare us for," Gubbins said. "While we hope we will never have to use these skills, it feels empowering to know that if something did happen, we would be able to help fellow students or teachers until professional help arrived."
The students recruited Katie Saunders, a cross country and track coach at the school who also teaches CPR training, to serve as faculty mentor. Saunders is currently working toward certification as an official Stop the Bleed instructor and will supervise the hands-on skills portion of training sessions.
The club's training program mirrors the national curriculum: a one-hour educational session covering the physiology of bleeding, scene safety and the importance of immediate bystander action, followed by a 30-minute hands-on session where participants demonstrate their skills on a prosthetic training arm.
Students who successfully complete both portions receive an official certificate through the program's certification portal.
The founders plan to introduce the club at Club Row in August, inviting students to join as members or simply attend training sessions to become certified. One priority is providing training to every sports team at the school, starting with cross country and track and field.
"Athletes, coaches, and trainers are often present during injuries, so having Stop the Bleed skills within sports teams could make a critical difference during emergencies," Gubbins said.
The students also have ambitions beyond campus. They hope to participate in community health fairs and partner with local organizations to bring training to Santa Monica residents. Gubbins' mother has volunteered to assist with community sessions.
Santa Monica High School is now part of the Stop the Bleed Coalition, an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) charitable organization that is the only nonprofit singularly dedicated to supporting the national campaign. The coalition is licensed by the Department of Defense and provides approved services and training materials to a growing network of community organizations.
"Our mission is simple: to empower students and community members with the knowledge and confidence to act in a bleeding emergency," Gubbins said. "In those first critical minutes before professional help arrives, the actions of an informed bystander can save a life."
Follow the students on Instagram @stopthebleed.samohi