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| Mrs. Addison donating blood. |
A blood drive was held at J.I. Burton on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. The drive was organized by the National Honor Society, sponsored by Mrs. Ashley Addison.
To donate, students must have been at least 17 years old. There is a long list of other requirements, too, such as eating a meal beforehand and not being sick.
Students seemed happy to donate, whether to get out of their regular classes or to help a good cause. "I chose to donate because I wanted to help the lives of those in need," said Keaton Ingle, a senior who donated for the first time at the drive.
In addition to helping save lives, students who give blood at least 3 times can earn a special cord to wear at graduation. A family member can also make a donation in their name to qualify. Ingle said he hopes to achieve this goal before the end of the year.
The blood drive was held outside of the school in the parking lot in a bus referred to as the Marsh Bloodmobile. When students first enter the bus, they fill out a general questionnaire about their health. Then a nurse checks blood pressure and pulse to make sure they seem healthy. If students pass those screenings, then they lay back in a chair while a nurse takes their blood.
Keaton said he was very nervous before having his blood taken because he has felt like he was going to pass out getting blood drawn at doctors' offices before. "The scariest thing was the needle. It was pretty huge," he said.
The process was not as bad as he feared. "It didn't hurt, though. It was weird; it went in real smooth," Ingle said.
After students donate blood, they are given a snack and rest for a few minutes to make sure they are feeling well before going back to class.
Mrs. Addison said that the blood drive at J.I. Burton "was a great success" since they exceeded their expectations for the number of students who would attend. She said, "We were not sure if we would even have 30 donors but ended up with over 40!"
To donate, students must have been at least 17 years old. There is a long list of other requirements, too, such as eating a meal beforehand and not being sick.
Students seemed happy to donate, whether to get out of their regular classes or to help a good cause. "I chose to donate because I wanted to help the lives of those in need," said Keaton Ingle, a senior who donated for the first time at the drive.
In addition to helping save lives, students who give blood at least 3 times can earn a special cord to wear at graduation. A family member can also make a donation in their name to qualify. Ingle said he hopes to achieve this goal before the end of the year.
The blood drive was held outside of the school in the parking lot in a bus referred to as the Marsh Bloodmobile. When students first enter the bus, they fill out a general questionnaire about their health. Then a nurse checks blood pressure and pulse to make sure they seem healthy. If students pass those screenings, then they lay back in a chair while a nurse takes their blood.
Keaton said he was very nervous before having his blood taken because he has felt like he was going to pass out getting blood drawn at doctors' offices before. "The scariest thing was the needle. It was pretty huge," he said.
The process was not as bad as he feared. "It didn't hurt, though. It was weird; it went in real smooth," Ingle said.
After students donate blood, they are given a snack and rest for a few minutes to make sure they are feeling well before going back to class.
Mrs. Addison said that the blood drive at J.I. Burton "was a great success" since they exceeded their expectations for the number of students who would attend. She said, "We were not sure if we would even have 30 donors but ended up with over 40!"