On Nov. 17, 2023, a group of leadership students led by senior Olivia Villanova organized a blood drive with the National Red Cross. Starting at 10 a.m., students who had signed up to donate were excused from class to get their blood drawn in the Kreps Conference Center. By lunchtime, Villanova guessed that roughly 35 students had come to donate blood. The center was accepting walk-ins and appointments until 3 p.m. when school was dismissed.
Senior Margaux Veconi donated to the blood drive both this year and last year. She explained that it was an easy process, lasting no more than an hour. A nurse asked her a few questions to ensure that her blood was uncontaminated, pricked her finger and then injected an intravenous line (IV) to take the blood sample.
“I’m really just hoping to help whoever I can by doing this,” Veconi said.
This sentiment was common among donors; when asked why they were donating, most of them said they had no specific or personal reason to donate, they just wanted to help those in need.
Gerald Baniqed was the Red Cross nurse in charge of the blood drive. He explained that high schools are large providers of blood donations. He guessed that around 40 percent of the blood drives that he manages take place in high schools.
Baniqed also offered insight into where these donations go.
“[donations] are randomized, [blood] goes where they need it [most],” Baniqed said. Such donations are necessary to provide hospital patients with blood transfusions, aid mothers in childbirth and help people who’ve experienced serious accidents.
