Students, teachers and parents alike donated blood at the blood drive which took place in room 106 on Wednesday, April 30. The American Red Cross partnered with the high school to orchestrate the event which was led by students in the Red Cross Club and Career and Technology Education teacher Ed Wiser. They collected more blood than any past year, with a total of 36 units (around 36 pints).

Sophomores Kaylee Co and Kate Ferguson learned about blood type in Wiser’s medical careers class, which prompted them to start the Red Cross club and plan this year’s drive.

“We advertised by getting advertisements, like in emails and putting up posters. Our main thing was going around during X-block and getting people to sign up,” Co said. “And we also had someone at the Red Cross that we emailed who updated us and made sure we were on track.”

The phlebotomists, workers from the American Red Cross who take the blood, work as a “well-oiled machine” according to Wiser. He said they do this job at many locations and that there are many opportunities for people to give their blood.

Wiser donated his blood at the event and has done so in the past as well. The process consists of lying down and squeezing a ball so that the phlebotomists can get a vein to take the blood from.

“You do get a little woozy, light headed,” Wiser said. “I’m lucky being my size, if you take a pint of blood out of me, I’m not as affected as if I were shorter or weighed less.”

Junior Ethan Bracha gave blood for the first time at this event and said he was inspired by his friend and dad when he decided to sign up to give his blood.

“I’ve never donated blood before. All I really knew is that it’s important to help people. I know that my dad often gives blood, so [I] figured, why not help someone out?” Bracha said.

Ferguson and Co said the process of getting the drive set up was mainly advertising, since if they did not have enough sign-ups, it could have been canceled by the Red Cross. They ended up with 51 sign-ups.

According to Wiser, the blood gets taken in samples that are tested for blood pathogens, and then if they do not have any infections then they can be taken to places where they are used to help people.

Ferguson and Co said they were motivated to set up the blood drive this year for multiple reasons.

“We’re really interested in helping out with our community,” Ferguson said. “And we also draw our inspiration because of our interest in the medical field.”