On Friday, Feb. 8, a blood drive was held during school hours so that students would be able to donate.

“The blood drives are convenient to have during school hours,” junior Anthony Limon said. “This gives students who don’t have time to go elsewhere to donate time to do it.”

Student council members organized the event and decided on dates for three to four blood drives throughout the year with the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center.

“We met with the South Texas Blood and Tissue center to organize the event,” student council sponsor Jana Dudley said. “We also decided on dates for more blood drives throughout the year.”

As they went around the school, student council officers asked students if they wanted to donate blood.

“We went around the school asking people who were 16 years old or older if they would like to sign up to donate,” sophomore Pauline Calame said. “We were given sign up sheets so we could carry them on hand for a quick and easy sign up.”

Before students could donate, they were checked to see if they met certain requirements to be eligible to donate.

“Even though I met the requirements for my age and weight I wasn’t allowed to donate because my heart rate was too high,” senior Karlee Shelton said. “I was very disappointed because I’ve donated every time I’ve been allowed to.”

On the day of the event, student council officers went to each classroom and took the students who have signed up out of class to donate.

“There was a sheet of all the people who signed up which showed what time they wanted to donate,” senior Karli Geyer said. “When it was time, Quinton Zapata and I went around to take the students to the donation area.”

There are many beneficial factors to donating blood. Donating can help save lives and also help your own body.

“Donating helps save the lives of those who are in accidents or who have medical issues,” Mrs. Dudley said. “By donating, your own blood flows better and your iron levels stay balanced, so really, it’s a win the whole way around.”