North Augusta High School hosts a biannual blood drive for students and faculty. This year, the first drive took place on November 12th.
Katie Beth Cannon, a senior at North Augusta High School, says “Holding a blood drive is important because it helps save the lives of those in our communities. During COVID, everyone has been negatively impacted. Any way that North Augusta High School can help will be impactful, and this is one of the best ways for NAHS to do that.”
All the blood that is donated by the donors is used to save three lives. The donors get “food, a t-shirt, and they save three lives!” Ann Marie Partl, a junior at North Augusta High School, and blood drive volunteer, stated.
A NAHS student saving lives by donating blood at North Augusta High School's blood drive.
Pictured: Ann Marie Partl
Photo Credit: Katie Beth Cannon
The drive would not be able to happen without many volunteers; Partl says “this year the Shepeard blood team is coming to the school, but before we can have a blood drive, we must get people to give blood. We go around to classrooms during the fourth period and explain to the students the drive and ask for donors. This year we had a really good turnout.”
Emma Carter, a junior at North Augusta High School, and blood drive volunteer, says, “The blood bus came last year so we signed people in, gave them food, and walked them on the bus. Next, the blood drive workers tested to make sure you were healthy, then they got your blood. Once you were done, you would come back into the school and drink sugary drinks, eat, and rest a little bit before we let you back to class.”
Cannon states that, “some students were nervous to be donating, specifically first-time donors. However, everything went extremely smoothly. We remind all donors that they will be under quality care with Shepeard nurses and that they will ensure everything is okay.”
However, in previous years, a lot of students have donated who are not nervous at all. Carter said “Most of the students I dealt with felt fine after and had no urges to pass out or get lightheaded. They were all ready to finish their day like normal afterward!”
Partl stated that “most people felt fine and just needed to eat and rest for 15 minutes before walking back to class, only a couple people felt sick, but it went away once they rested.”
Cannon says that “the next blood drive will be sometime this spring, so if you will be 16 years old or older this spring, sign up!”
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