The Henry County Board of Education recognized Hickory Flat Elementary first-grade teacher Jennifer Fleming for her quick action when she saw one of her students choking at lunch on the second day of the school year.

According to officials, Skylar Jordan was violently coughing and in distress before taking a deep breath and then making no sound, as food became lodged in her throat. Fleming moved behind Jordan and performed the Heimlich maneuver, which dislodged the blockage and restored Skylar’s breathing.

Her “quick action and caring response more than likely saved Skylar from a life-threatening situation,” the board members noted.

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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez