Students have the ability to save up to three lives by donating just under a pint of blood. The Blood Drive is hosted once each semester in the auxiliary gym and is available for those students 16 and over with a clean bill of health and a willing attitude.
“I think its really important to get students involved in service and this is an easy way for kids to give back,” Blood Drive organizer and science teacher Tammy Snyder said. “They feel empowered and they feel they’ve been included in something big like helping save other lives.”
The Indiana Blood Center collects blood all over the state for people who will undergo surgeries, been in accidents or just need blood.
After turning in a signed parental consent form, students pick a time slot during the day to visit the auxiliary gym and donate.
Before students are allowed to donate, they must go through a small physical, making sure they are not ill, or have recently traveled to a country that could have serious regional diseases. After donors are cleared, they go to have their blood drawn.
“It’s not so painful that it’s not something they wouldn’t do again. Most of the time when kids come to donate and they have had a successful donation, they always come back and that’s what is exciting for me. At 16 years old we can make lifelong donors,” Snyder said.
