STANLEY – The American Heart Association announced on Tuesday, Sept. 23, the selection of a Stanley sixth grader as a local Youth Heart Ambassador.

Justin Swider will serve as a youth Heart Ambassador for the 2025-26 school year, alongside other youth volunteers across the country, to support the Heart Association’s school-based programs, Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge. These programs encourage students to get active, build confidence and support the Heart Association’s work to fund lifesaving research and education around heart disease and stroke prevention, cardiac emergency preparedness and other issues.

The youth ambassadors will work to inspire their peers to build lifelong healthy habits and learn lifesaving education while helping others, according to the Heart Association. The youth ambassadors were nominated nationwide for the role, which recognizes students who have a personal connection to heart disease or stroke, either through their own diagnosis, a loved one’s experience or a passion for wellness.

Swider was nominated by staff at Stanley Elementary as a mentor and contributor to the American Heart Association programs at Stanley Elementary School since the second grade.

Swider will raise awareness about the impact of heart disease and stroke, advocate for healthy habits and lifesaving skills such as Hands-Only CPR and encourage support for the Heart Association’s mission to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.