Alleghany High School educators Charity Hale, left, and Corey Bowles present a session on the Stop the Bleed initiative during the Virginia Health and Medical Sciences Educators Association Annual Conference in Williamsburg. (AHPS Photo)

AHS Educators Help Build Safer Schools in Virginia   Low Moor, VA (July 23, 2026) - Two Alleghany High School educators are helping strengthen emergency preparedness efforts in classrooms and communities across Virginia. Charity Hale, assistant principal at Alleghany High School and a nationally certified athletic trainer with expertise in health care, injury prevention and emergency response, and Corey Bowles, a certified athletic trainer who teaches sports medicine at AHS, represented Alleghany Highlands Public Schools at the Virginia Health and Medical Sciences Educators Association Annual Conference, held July 15-17 in Williamsburg. Hale and Bowles presented four breakout sessions focused on the nationally recognized Stop the Bleed initiative. The sessions provided health science educators from across the state with hands-on instruction in life-saving bleeding control techniques, including applying direct pressure, packing wounds and using tourniquets. They also shared strategies for teaching these important skills to students through classroom instruction, hands-on learning activities and school emergency preparedness programs. Stop the Bleed is a national public awareness campaign launched by the U.S. Department of Defense to teach people how to respond during life-threatening bleeding emergencies. Through education and hands-on training, the program gives individuals the confidence to take action until emergency responders arrive. Alleghany Highlands Public Schools holds an educational license through the U.S. Department of Defense that allows certified instructors to provide Stop the Bleed training to students, staff and community members. The program is part of the division’s ongoing commitment to creating safer schools and preparing individuals to respond effectively during emergencies. "We are incredibly proud of Charity and Corey for sharing their expertise with educators from across Virginia," Superintendent Kim Halterman said. "Their leadership showcases the outstanding work taking place in our health sciences program and helps bring life-saving training to more schools. By teaching others these critical skills, they are helping build safer schools and a stronger community." By sharing their expertise at the conference, Hale and Bowles demonstrated the impact Alleghany Highlands educators can have beyond the classroom.  "Programs like Stop the Bleed remind us that education extends far beyond academics," Halterman said. "When we equip our students, staff and community members with the skills to respond in an emergency, we create a stronger, safer Alleghany Highlands."

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