Beverly Hills Students Graduate From Teen CERT

A new group of Beverly Hills High School students is leaving the Teen CERT program with firsthand emergency response training, after completing a 21-hour course built to strengthen preparedness, service and community readiness.

The Teen CERT effort was developed through a collaboration involving the Beverly Hills Fire Department, Beverly Hills Unified School District and Just In Case BH. The program is part of an inaugural partnership bringing Community Emergency Response Team training to students in the Beverly Hills High School Medical Science Academy, with instruction focused on fire extinguisher use, disaster response protocols, triage concepts and broader community safety procedures.

Speaking to the graduating class, Mayor Sharona Nazarian praised the students not only for completing the training, but for choosing to step into a role of service before an emergency ever happens. Her remarks framed the program as both a practical investment in public safety and a broader lesson in civic responsibility.

“We need to be able to work together to support one another, and if you see your neighbor in need, now you guys have the skills and what it takes to be able to be that extra, you know, what is it? That you’re there before the actual paramedics or firefighters or police arrive. And we’re so grateful because you’re creating, you’re becoming force multipliers.”

Nazarian also underscored the scale of the students’ accomplishment, telling the class that 36 students had completed 21 hours of training. She encouraged them to remain engaged in civic life, calling the graduation a starting point rather than an ending and urging them to stay involved in shaping the future of Beverly Hills.

The message aligned with the broader purpose of the city’s CERT program, which is intended to equip participants with basic emergency response skills that can make a difference when professional responders are not immediately available. Beverly Hills describes CERT as a way to help residents save lives, protect property and support their community during disasters and other emergencies.

For the students who completed the program, Tuesday’s graduation represented more than a certificate ceremony. It marked the completion of a rigorous training experience and the beginning of a new level of readiness, one that gave young Beverly Hills residents the tools to serve as calm, capable helpers in moments of crisis.

As the city continues to emphasize preparedness and resilience, the Teen CERT graduates now leave the program with skills that can strengthen not only their own confidence, but the safety culture of the broader Beverly Hills community.