More than 85 percent of the Immaculate Conception High School student body made sure their hearts were OK during a screening program.

The school held a screening featuring the Midwest Heart Community Foundation last month. The organization administered electrocardiogram screenings to students, whose parents consented to the free check-ups.

“We were very pleased with that [85 percent] level of participation,” ICHS Principal Pamela Levar. “The day itself went very well. It takes about four minutes with each student.”

Thirty-five parents volunteered to assist at the event, which went from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 19, Levar said. The school decided to go ahead with the event after hearing about sudden cardiac-related deaths in young students in the news over the years.

“Given the severity of what can happen to these young kids, I’m glad we’re doing it and doing it as often as recommended, which is every couple of years,”  school spokesperson Kathy Kowieski said.

Female and male students were screened at the school in two areas, with a total of five EKG stations. Levar said students had a positive reaction to the event, which provided further testing the same day for students whose EKGs revealed they needed it.

“They were calm during the procedures. ... The students’ response was that they were somewhat apprehensive at points,” Levar said. “Some students were called back for an echo so the anxiety levels were reduced and parents are incurring costs with that.

“We talked with every parent whose students were called back. Everything’s gone very well with follow-up testing.”