The school’s annual blood drive by Heartland Blood Centers will be held on Thursday, October 27 during opens, lunches, or study halls starting 3rd period, rescheduled rescheduled due to PSAT testing.

Anyone 17 or older or 16 with a parent permission form can donate, according to Nick Swanson, senior Fall Blood Drive chair.

“Blood drives save lives,” Swanson said. “People should donate blood because it is only a small gesture and doesn’t seem like much, but in fact it can actually save lives. Just going a small way like giving a pint of blood can impact a person’s life more than you can believe.”

During the blood donation process, students will go through a mini screening process to ensure that they are healthy enough to donate, and then donate about a pint of blood. Afterwards, Heartland will provide patients with refreshments until they are ready to go back to class.

“A high school blood drive teaches [students] the importance of a blood drive and the reasons for why they occur. It is necessary to inform the students of how impactful donating blood can be on those who need it because it can save their lives or permit people to have surgery,” Swanson said. “The blood drive system was created because of the life saving qualities they contain and it does not impact the blood giver except for feeling good about helping those in need.”