Youngest CRP Instructor Wins Shot at Scholarship

A 16-year-old Strongsville High School student has been recognized by the national Kohl's Cares program for starting a CPR instruction program in the schools. 

Madison Cianciolo, who will be a senior this fall, was among 122 Ohio youth volunteers honored by Kohl's, winning from among the Strongsville store's nominees. She will now compete for a $1,000 regional scholarship; after that, 10 national winners of $10,000 scholarships will be named.

Her project: Working with the Strongsville Fire Department, she set up a program to train teachers at Strongsville schools in CPR and basic life support.

It's not Madison's only claim to fame. At 16, she is the youngest basic life support instructor ever certified by Southwest General Health Center. 

She now assists Strongsville fire Lt. AJ Aljabi in local CPR and lifesaving classes.

Madison's career choice was never in doubt. "I've kind of known all my life," she said. "Even when I was little, I'd always want to follow fire trucks."

She joined the Hinckley's Fire Department's Explorers post four years ago, and plans to have certification as an Emergency Medical Technician and as a firefighter before she starts college next year.

Her ultimate plan: "Working for Strongsville (Fire Department) is my goal," she said.

Last year, Madison was chosen as the Huffington Post's Greatest Person of the Day, which features stories of people across the nation who are confronting major issues and making a difference in their community, after she was featured on Strongsville Patch.