Kennedy hosted its first blood drive of 2026 to support hospitals by collecting blood donations from our students and staff in the small gym, held on January 22 throughout the day.
Mr. Inlay spoke about the benefits of the blood drive, such as giving back to the community, and mentioned that “every two minutes or two seconds in America, people need blood, and more people need blood donations than available blood.”
He mentions that as a community, if we could do our part by donating blood, it would teach kids a valuable lesson about giving back, helping those who cannot help themselves, and how to be part of society.
Phlebotomists who guided students at the blood drive start by looking over the requirements, including the weight, age, and height of students who are over the age of 18, or ensuring that there is parental consent.
Helping with the blood drive, Tiffany Elliot says, “donating to the blood drive is a way to give to the community, which I am a big fan of.” She adds on by saying she was “extremely nervous, I didn’t expect to see so much blood and needles, and the fact that I needed to take a pint, I thought they would take less scares me.”
Jessica Torres says she was “definitely nervous” and had been convinced to donate by friends. Torres states that she “didn’t really know what to expect for her first time”. She says that the blood drive “brings awareness to the importance of donating and doing things for other people.”
They try to do this consistently, especially in ASB, to help give back in ways that ASB can.
Torres says she would donate again, and she plans on it “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I definitely would do it again”
Additional reporting by Katherine Ancheta.
