A friend’s experience convinced Jessica Manca of Langley to focus her senior project at South Whidbey High School on a heartfelt approach to health.

“It really inspired me to get them to come to our school,” she said. “It’s a common thing around the world, and it’s important to raise awareness.”

For the past three months, Manca, a South Whidbey student athlete, has pushed for free cardiovascular screenings at the school to detect possible heart abnormalities of people ages 14 through 24.

Through her persistence, she convinced the Nick of Time Foundation, in partnership with the University of Washington Medical Center and Seattle Children’s Heart Center, to bring its popular Community Youth Heart Screening Day to the high school in Langley.

Not to be denied, she said she contacted the foundation “multiple times” after first being told that it would be difficult for the foundation to fit a trip to South Whidbey into its busy schedule.

“It took some hard work,” Manca said, “but they eventually called back and booked. They said my letter was so persuasive.”

The session at South Whidbey will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, at the high school on Maxwelton Road. The screenings are free, but a $25 donation to cover costs is recommended, Manca said.

She said participants need not be South Whidbey students, so long as they fall within the age range. The foundation also supervises follow-ups for anyone found to have a heart abnormality, she added.

“I strongly urge everybody to sign up,” Manca said. “They won’t turn anybody away.”

The program promotes awareness of undiagnosed heart disease and alerts about the warning signs and prevention of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in children, athletes and young adults.

According to the American Heart Association, one child in 350 may have a heart condition that can lead to sudden death, and most are undiagnosed.

The foundation says that from 5,000 to 7,000 children and young adults each year die from SCA. It estimates that every three days, a high school athlete in the United States collapses and dies from an undetected heart condition.

The foundation says standard physicals are inadequate in diagnosing hidden heart abnormalities, the leading cause of death in young athletes on the playing field. Early detection is crucial.

The South Whidbey screenings, which will include an electrocardiogram (ECG) and-or echocardiogram (ECHO), will be supervised by a Seattle Seahawks cardiologist and 50 additional medical personnel.

Participants also include Whidbey General Hospital’s Emergency Medical Services, local physicians and Island County Fire District 3 personnel. Blood-pressure tests also will be administered.

Manca, 16, the daughter of Robin and Jerry Koeller of Langley, has attended South Whidbey schools since the fourth grade.

She is an ardent athlete at the high school, where she is currently a junior. She said her strongest sports are soccer and basketball, but she also participates in volleyball, track and swimming.

Manca said she chose the screenings as her senior project because of her lifelong friend Cameron Patterson of Auburn, who found he had a heart abnormality after undergoing a similar program at his school.

“Maybe it will help some of my friends here,” Manca said.

She said she herself underwent a similar screening at Jackson High School in Everett, which included the attachment of a dozen electrical leads and an ultrasound.

“It’s a really cool thing,” she said of the latter. “You can hear the blood pumping through your heart, and then you’re done.”

Manca said her fellow students have been enthusiastic about the project, but the true test will come on the day of the screenings.

“Everyone thinks it’s a great project,” she said. “The hardest part is getting them to make the effort and go to the office and sign up.”

A release form must be filled out at the high school’s main office, and a health history and permission form must be filled out prior to the screening.

The screenings are free, but a $25 donation to cover costs is recommended.

For information, e-mail jessica.manca94@gmail.com, or call 321-4924.