Senior Chelsea Brewer slowly slid into the chair as the technician prepared the blood bags in the pumping device. The technician then cleaned and marked Brewer, which caused her to wince as she tried to calm herself down. As the needle punctured the skin and started to draw her blood, Brewer suddenly felt hot and started to feel sick.

    “For some reason, the needle hurt more than usual and it made me feel uneasy the whole time,” Brewer said. “I felt fine for a while, and then I ended up really sick a few hours later.”

    Participating in blood drives is a different experience for everyone. Some aren’t able to give much, while some are able to give double the normal amount.

    “I was more than happy when I signed up to give blood,” junior Kyrell Miller said. “I may feel a little sick afterwards, but saving other people’s lives makes it worth it in the end.” During the drive, Miller opted to give 2 full pints of blood instead of the usual 1 pint.

    Not everyone is able to give blood during the drive, but NHS members are given the opportunity to participate by helping those who can give with their records, a small snack afterwards, and even a helping hand on the way back to class.

    “I always like working the blood drives because it’s so neat to see all the other students give up their time to help others, especially when they don’t even meet the person in need,” senior NHS member Kortni Hibbard said. “I’m proud of how many of my peers volunteer for this event. It shows how much they care for those in need.”

    NHS sponsor Dawn Egan said that this was the most the school had ever produced with a total of 79 total units given, which is 17 more than the school’s all-time record.

    “I think the blood drive went really well this year,” Egan said. “With this sum of blood given, the students have saved a total of 237 lives.”

    Those who participated in the blood drive will receive a red tassel for their graduation gowns as well as cap and gown pictures for the yearbook.