A Valley student is being recognized for saving her classmate's life last month.

"There was something in her whipped cream, it was like a cap, and she ended up eating the whipped cream, and she just started choking," Point Isabel ISD student Desiree Vidaurri said. 

In less than four seconds, Vidaurri made a life-altering decision. Her training kicked in, and she performed the Heimlich Maneuver on her friend. 

"I was kind of hesitant at first, but I didn't want anything bad to happen, so I just went for it," Vidaurri said. 

A technique she said she'd have never known if it weren't for her parents. 

"My mom went over with me a couple of times, and I've watched movies," Vidaurri said. 

The Point Isabel ISD school board presented Vidaurri with a brand-new award for her swift action Monday night. 

"The Tarpon Spotlight Award is going to any student or staff member that goes above and beyond and is an incredible role model to not just our school district but our entire community," Point Isabel ISD Superintendent Teri Capistran said. 

"Knowing in that situation to act so quickly, and then to perform it successfully, I mean, I was extremely proud of her," Vidaurri's mom Jennifer Alaniz said.