The 11-year-old left a couple of hours later with a better understanding about how he could make a difference in someone's life. While learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Kyle thought about the Kapolei Middle school eighth-grader who died Monday morning after being struck by a pickup truck on Makakilo Drive. "I didn't know him, but we rode the same bus home from school," Kyle said.

From what he learned yesterday, Kyle said he would know what to do had he witnessed Monday's accident. "The first thing is I'd tell someone to call 911," he said. "If I had to, I could do CPR."

Through "Keiki Heartsavers Training" sessions yesterday and today, the American Heart Association is teaching middle school students how to recognize a cardiac or stroke emergency, and how to respond to these and other emergencies.

"Our goal was 1,200 kids, but some schools canceled," said Dory Clisham of American Medical Response. "We've found that kids in the younger grades are the ones who are home most often with grandparents. If they know to call 911 first, and not someone else when something happens, it could save lives."

An important goal of working with young children is "taking the fear out," said Larry Moore of the Fire Department's training and research division. "We want them to recognize and act. Call 911 if they think something is wrong. If we show up and find that it's a false alarm, that's OK."

Kapolei Middle School and Maika'i Loa Christian Academy students attended yesterday's sessions.

Here's what some Kapolei students learned:

• When you call 911, said 12-year-old Jenavee Viernes, "I need to tell them where I am and what has happened because life is important."
• CPR is easy to learn, according to Rebecca Deering, 11. "You can save people's lives by learning it," she said.
• Zachary Lee, 11, said that before going to help anyone, "make sure the room is safe. If someone is lying down, check for breathing by listening by their mouth and see if their chest is going up and down."

Even teachers found it interesting. "I can do CPR, but I'd like to get certified one day because you never know when an accident will happen," Kapolei Middle School teacher Jenny Kusuda said.

"Keiki Heartsavers Training" is sponsored by Hawaiian Electric Co., Longs Drugs and the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. For information about the program, call American Heart Association at 538-7021.