On March 5th, the Sophomore Class Government worked with the New York Blood Center to host their annual blood drive, where students and faculty were encouraged to take time out of their busy lives to donate blood. This blood is then distributed to hospitals all around the Tri-State area to potentially save people’s lives.
“Usually at this time, there’s a shortage of blood, especially during the winter months and the summer. They often declare blood crises because hospitals usually need the most blood right now,” Sophomore Class President Ravi Vora ’26 explained.
The process of giving blood is relatively straightforward: First, a preliminary checkup is performed by medical professionals to make sure a person is fit and willing to give blood, followed by the drawing of the blood. The donors are then monitored to ensure that they are safe from adverse effects, where they can indulge in the variety of snacks and drinks in the “recovery station.”
“Everyone is welcome to donate… We have student volunteers staffing the welcome desk and snack table…reading people and just making sure that people have what they need inside,” Faculty Advisor Christopher Hughes added.
In the days leading up to the drive, the Sophomore Class Government utilized posters, signs, and social media to try to publicize the event. Unfortunately, only 56 people donated, 19 fewer donors than their original goal of 75. This less-than-massive turnout is partially due to the fact that donors must be 16 years or older, which eliminates almost all potential underclassmen donors.
Nevertheless, even if their incentive to donate was to simply get free snacks, students who donated still made a major impact in their community in the face of a potential state-wide blood crisis. “I’m donating blood because it’s a good cause and I want to help those in need due to the nationwide shortage. I just feel like it’s a good thing to do,” donor Tristan Fourgoux ’26 stated.
It is said that one blood donation can save three lives since the blood is separated into three key components, each of which serves a different purpose to save a life. In this way, this event allows Scarsdale Students to make a direct impact on their local community.
“Hopefully not, but you could go into surgery the next day and you could need blood and you could never know. It could be your own family member or it could be someone you don’t know,” Sophomore Class Representative Dylan Lemberg ’26 said.
But it’s not just about the blood; the work of the volunteers, doctors, and donors to benefit strangers is the exact representation of the SHS slogan “non-sibi,” or acting not for oneself alone.
“This is just a feel-good event, even the little stickers we hand out, and this tradition is something that we should feel proud of,“ School Secretary Gavin Tieng ’26 expressed.
The annual blood drive remains an essential part of the Sophomore class agenda as it has potentially improved the lives of hundreds of people across New York.
