Photos by Desiree Morales / Staff
Story by Madison Caropino
Staff Writer
More than one hundred students participated in the American Red Cross Blood Drive hosted at the Carroll Activity Center this past Friday.
Junior Jenna Dominguez was one of the nervous students that participated in the blood drive.
“I was freaking out,” she said. “But I wanted to help someone who was not as fortunate to be as healthy as me.”
Amat students used this opportunity to give back to the community. Students like Dominguez were present at the Blood Drive and were very nervous, but they knew that they wanted to help people who were not as fortunate as them to be in good health.
Senior Michelle Morrissey was scared going into the blood drive.
“I was so nervous that I made my friend Leti stand by me and hold my hand,” she said. “Leti was talking to me and distracting me, and the lady poked my arm without me even knowing.”
Morrissey’s arm is very badly bruised due to giving blood.
“Yes, the bruise hurts, but it is one of the consequences I was willing to face to help someone else out,” she said.
Hector Ortiz from Red Cross was the coordinator that was present in the Carroll Center last Friday.
“We started a blood drive here at Amat because we wanted to initiate a focus on high schools running blood drives,” he said.
According to Ortiz Amat has been running the Blood Drive for over ten years, and twice every year.
When the blood drive began here at Amat only 50 to 60 pints of blood were collected. But this year Red Cross is hoping to collect about 100 pints from Amat students.
Ms. Mary Nugent, a biology teacher at Amat, is also the current coordinator of the blood drive. There were eighty-seven pints of blood collected, one hundred and ten presenting donors, and seven bags not filled.
“I was very pleased with the turnout this year,” she said. “Usually the fall blood drive is not that successful due to athletes not being able to donate, but it amazes me how many people were able to give blood this fall.”
