Summerland freshman uses SkillsUSA training to save infant's life

When an infant needed a lifeline, a 15-year-old Ewing teen sprang into action without hesitation.

Little did Taelyn Nilson know the CPR skills she acquired through SkillsUSA - a career and technical education organization at Summerland Public School - would save a life on a cold December night.

"I just thought it would make a good speech," Nilson said.

On Dec. 19, after a basketball game in O'Neill, Nilson opted for a ride home with her mom instead of the school bus, craving a McDonald's $5 meal deal.

"I wanted McDonald's, so I rode home with my mom," she said.

While in her upstairs bedroom, Taelyn heard her mom, Misty, scream for Talya, her older sister, to call 911. Misty had been feeding a baby who suddenly stopped breathing. Talya scrambled to find her phone while Taelyn ran downstairs.

"The baby was already blue. I told my mom we needed to place her on the floor," she recalled.

Misty remembers one of the girls suggesting CPR during those frantic moments. Taelyn immediately checked for a pulse. There was none.

"I did child CPR in SkillsUSA, so I knew to use two fingers on an infant and keep the rhythm. I didn't know how to do mouth-to-mouth on a baby, though," Taelyn said.

While Misty feared the baby was choking, Taelyn recognized it as silent aspiration. She calmly directed her mom not to perform mouth-to-mouth while she handled chest compressions.

CPR experts often recommend timing compressions to songs with a 100-120 beats-per-minute tempo, such as the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive." In her SkillsUSA demonstration, Nilson used Taylor Swift's "The Man" for rhythm, but in the heat of the moment, the lyrics escaped her.

"I was like, 'Oh crap,'" Nilson said, admitting she started too fast but quickly steadied herself. "I was panicked, but I knew to stay calm from my speech."

After a set of compressions and breaths, a sense of calm took over. Misty, reassured by her daughter's composure, estimated Taelyn completed four rounds of 30 compressions.

"I kept thinking, 'Arms straight, elbows locked, let the chest return,' everything I practiced in my speech," Taelyn said.

When the baby began spitting up, Nilson continued compressions while Misty used a nasal aspirator to clear the airway. Moments later, Ewing Fire and Rescue arrived. The baby remained in distress en route to O'Neill but was stabilized at Avera St. Anthony's Hospital before being airlifted to Omaha for further care.

By New Year's Eve, the baby was doing well.

"Right now, the baby's doing good," Misty said. "Taelyn was amazing. So calm, so cool. I know she was nervous, but she knew exactly what she was doing."

Nilson, who joined SkillsUSA for fun, didn't anticipate the life-saving impact of her training. She began competing in seventh grade, demonstrating how to make no-bake cookies, earning first place at the Middle School SkillsUSA conference and third at state.

In eighth grade, she advanced to Job Skills Demo A, illustrating child CPR techniques.

"I have five nieces and nephews," she said.

SkillsUSA co-advisor Kendra Shrader recalled how Nilson fine-tuned her presentation for months, with the school nurse providing guidance. Taelyn even included tips on using a defibrillator.

At the 2024 state conference, Nilson's CPR demo earned third place. Shrader said judges appreciated her unique touch, especially her use of a Taylor Swift song.

"They had a chuckle about that," Shrader said.

SkillsUSA co-advisor Michael Odell, reflecting on Taelyn's quick thinking, said, "I told her, 'I'm proud of you. That was amazing.' I don't know how I would handle it."

Odell emphasized that while students join SkillsUSA to build resumés, they rarely expect to save lives.

"Most kids join Skills because it looks good on a resumé . You don't think you'll ever use a Job Skills Demo to save a life. For someone that young to use her knowledge and save a life is just amazing," he said.

This year, Taelyn plans to join two classmates in a group event. Though she's unsure of her future career path, she's open to exploring options through SkillsUSA.

"Participating gave me the confidence to perform CPR," she said.

Weeks later, Nilson remains humble, reflecting on her decisive actions.

"I just did what needed to be done," she said.