Bloomington High School South, The Gothic, 2016, Page 62

Description:	A Red Cross phlebotomist drawssenior Raquel Ruvalcabas blood.Students signed up to donate bloodduring their class periods for the NHSblood drive. PHOTO BY JACKSONMAHURON II. While getting his blooddrawn, sophomore Keaton Deckardsqueezes a ball to encourage bloodflow and a speedy donation. III. JuniorJason Cherry lays down while hisblood is drawn. IV. Red Crossvolunteer labels and organizes thebags of blood. PHOTOS BYCAMERON MCCLAINEThe NHS Blood Drive happens twice every year and features an opportunity for peopleto not only save some lives, but volunteer and contribute to a great cause.Not many kids get to say they cut class to save alife. But thanks to the Red Cross and NationalHonor Society Blood Drive, over 70 students atII Bloomington South did just that.The bi-annual blood drive was notorious forgetting kids out of class while simultaneouslysaving lives. The process was a simple one, butits really slow sometimes, senior NHS memberGyasi Ford said. Working the Blood Drive wasan easy way for NHS members like Ford to getsome of their 20 required hours of volunteering.The volunteering time must qualify under one offour categories: character, leadership, service,and character. According to Ford, you earn onemerit per hour in either character or leadership,for volunteering at the blood drive.Although popular, NHS struggled to reachtheir 60 donor minimum which permits South tohave the drive without requiring NHS to pay theRed Cross. NHS yielded about 70 donors in theend. It was overall very good, but not what wehad hoped for, Ford said.The blood drive had a very relaxedenvironment to contribute to a comfortable andstress free atmosphere. Senior Ashley Kellar,NHS executive, helped check donors into thedrive. First [people came] in and signed in, thenwent to a station where [the red crossvolunteers] prepared everyone, Kellar said.After that, they poke [donors] with a needle,draw their blood, and let the vampires take it.The actual blood extraction process wassometimes scary for plenty of people. Imscared of needles and dont like the feeling ofthings entering and then leaving my body, Kellarsaid. Kellar, like other NHS members, helped outby volunteering instead of donating.Almost everyone was able to donate bloodat little personal inconvenience - it doesnt hurtyou [to donate], and its for a good cause withoutany cost, Kellar said. Some people could notdonate blood due to health restrictions, but therewere plenty of ways to help out: set up, clean up,provide snacks and volunteer to sign people in.Many refer a friend or gain weight to try andqualify...its a great way to contribute to thecommunity, Ford said.Although the turnout wasnt as fruitful asthey hoped, the NHS Blood Drive was an allaround success.-ARIANNE KELLEY
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloomsouth/id/9698
Collection:	Bloomington High School South

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