Twice a year LSE’s Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) chapter hosts a blood drive that gives students the opportunity to donate blood. HOSA is a club at LSE and a nationwide organization that allows students interested in the medical field to gain scientific experiences, go on field trips and attend state competitions. 

One of their health science-related events is the LSE Blood Drive, which HOSA has hosted at the school for about 15 years

For the Blood Drive, LSE pairs up with the local blood bank to host a fall and a spring blood drive. The fall drive took place Oct 3, 2022. This fall’s blood drive had over 45 donors sign up and they could only take donations from 38 donors. HOSA can only take 38 donors because that is the maximum number of people they can draw blood from during the amount time the Blood Bank is at LSE.

Students who signed up to give blood were taken to the mobile clinic outside of the building, and were assisted by HOSA members to get their vitals checked. 

“[Vitals are checked] to make sure that you don’t have low iron or any essential things that’s going to make you pass out or something if you give too much blood,” HOSA officer, senior Heaven Henning said. Henning also mentioned that a donor cannot have any new piercings or be on antibiotics for the sake of the blood and the donor’s safety. 

Blood received from the drives is crucial to many people’s health as every unit of blood saves three lives. Blood donations go to people who need blood transfusions in the case of severe blood loss from events such as a car accident or surgery.. “You never know when you might be helping somebody or who might need [blood],” FCS teacher and HOSA sponsor Mary Stauffer said. “So when a person donates blood the impact is far greater than just a unit of blood. It can truly save a life.”

The Blood Bank takes the donated blood from LSE and stores it for when a hospital requests certain amounts and types of blood that they need for patients.

Though the fall blood drive has passed, LSE students can still get involved by listening and looking for announcements about the spring blood drive. For students who would like to assist in the blood drive process, you can sign up for HOSA during next year’s club sign up. 

HOSA hopes to continue this trend of numerous donors on April 20, 2023 when they host their spring blood drive