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ENLARGE
Dozens and dozens of Windsor High School students overcame the fear of needles or of fainting on the spot by donating their blood at the fifth annual blood drive Wednesday hosted by the seniors in the National Honor Society.
North Colorado Medical Center from Greeley collected the blood and all donations will remain in the Weld County area for use.
NCMC phlebotomist Kristina Cable said the bloodmobile goes around to six or seven high schools a year, and Windsor is always the most organized with the most students donating blood.
Sixty-four students and staff members signed up this year to donate blood, and 57 units of blood were collected. According to NCMC blood donor outreach coordinator Andrea Hawkins, the blood drive was the largest of 2011.
“This is definitely by far the best high school in my opinion that we go to. It's been amazing,” Cable said.
Windsor senior Austin McBryde, 18, said it was his first time donating blood.
“I thought it was for a good cause, and conquering my fear of needles,” said McBryde, who added that he'll definitely donate blood again.
Jade Young, 17, a senior at the high school, also said it was her first time donating blood.
“It' a simple gift I can give to people to keep them healthy,” Young said. “I think it's really cool for (kids) to step up and do something like this and not really get any recognition for it.”
Cable said it's special to see so many kids donate blood.
“We're hoping to keep them donating for 20, 30, 40 years to come. We had some kids downright terrified of the needles and the horror stories they've heard about people passing out, but they still did it and they're like, ‘It wasn't that bad.' ”
Meg Jacobson, who teaches earth and space science at the high school and is a NHS sponsor along with science teacher Doris Rummel, said the entire staff at the high school made the blood drive possible.
“Many of the adults donate, inspiring the kids, others encourage and praise the kids for the gifts they give and everyone tolerates the disruption of the day,” Jacobson said.
Jacobson added that McDonald's, Domino's Pizza and Dairy Queen donated items for the blood drive, which was started by NHS members in 2007 so that students can give back to the community.
Jacobson said every year the blood drive gets more donors. She said the administration at the high school provided breakfast for all of the donors, and the NHS members helped donors fill out paperwork, serve juice and cookies after donations and escorted donors back to their classes.
Blood drive co-coordinators Nick Goode and Torey Dressor, both NHS members and seniors at the high school, said students really stepped up.
Goode, 18, said he volunteers at NCMC and has received a lot of tips on how to get kids involved in donating blood.
“We have a really good turnout because kids are well informed of what they need to do for their part in donating blood,” Goode said. “One of the most important things we did was we never turned anyone away because our list was full. We started a waiting list and if a spot opened up we put them in that spot.”
Dressor, 18, said the participation from the students and staff makes the blood drive a success.
“A lot of schools don't get a whole lot of people that come out,” Dressor said. “It was just really cool how many people wanted to be able to do this.”
North Colorado Medical Center from Greeley collected the blood and all donations will remain in the Weld County area for use.
NCMC phlebotomist Kristina Cable said the bloodmobile goes around to six or seven high schools a year, and Windsor is always the most organized with the most students donating blood.
Sixty-four students and staff members signed up this year to donate blood, and 57 units of blood were collected. According to NCMC blood donor outreach coordinator Andrea Hawkins, the blood drive was the largest of 2011.
“This is definitely by far the best high school in my opinion that we go to. It's been amazing,” Cable said.
Windsor senior Austin McBryde, 18, said it was his first time donating blood.
“I thought it was for a good cause, and conquering my fear of needles,” said McBryde, who added that he'll definitely donate blood again.
Jade Young, 17, a senior at the high school, also said it was her first time donating blood.
“It' a simple gift I can give to people to keep them healthy,” Young said. “I think it's really cool for (kids) to step up and do something like this and not really get any recognition for it.”
Cable said it's special to see so many kids donate blood.
“We're hoping to keep them donating for 20, 30, 40 years to come. We had some kids downright terrified of the needles and the horror stories they've heard about people passing out, but they still did it and they're like, ‘It wasn't that bad.' ”
Meg Jacobson, who teaches earth and space science at the high school and is a NHS sponsor along with science teacher Doris Rummel, said the entire staff at the high school made the blood drive possible.
“Many of the adults donate, inspiring the kids, others encourage and praise the kids for the gifts they give and everyone tolerates the disruption of the day,” Jacobson said.
Jacobson added that McDonald's, Domino's Pizza and Dairy Queen donated items for the blood drive, which was started by NHS members in 2007 so that students can give back to the community.
Jacobson said every year the blood drive gets more donors. She said the administration at the high school provided breakfast for all of the donors, and the NHS members helped donors fill out paperwork, serve juice and cookies after donations and escorted donors back to their classes.
Blood drive co-coordinators Nick Goode and Torey Dressor, both NHS members and seniors at the high school, said students really stepped up.
Goode, 18, said he volunteers at NCMC and has received a lot of tips on how to get kids involved in donating blood.
“We have a really good turnout because kids are well informed of what they need to do for their part in donating blood,” Goode said. “One of the most important things we did was we never turned anyone away because our list was full. We started a waiting list and if a spot opened up we put them in that spot.”
Dressor, 18, said the participation from the students and staff makes the blood drive a success.
“A lot of schools don't get a whole lot of people that come out,” Dressor said. “It was just really cool how many people wanted to be able to do this.”
