A Future Health Professionals Club blood drive collected 38 units of blood to support local hospitals Saturday, Feb. 21 in the high school gym.
Juniors Addyson Schehl and Riley Butts started the Future Health Professionals Club and helped to organize the drive.
Nurses, equipment and other materials needed for the drive were provided by the Red Cross, Schehl said.
She said she thought the drive was a success.
“Our goal with the blood drive was to get 30 units of blood donated, which is just 30 people,” she said. “We had about 38 people come and met our goal.”
Junior Ridley Ranft said she gave blood because she wanted to be a part of something bigger than herself and help those in need.
She explained she was nervous going in, but the environment quickly calmed her.
“It was super warm and welcoming,” she said. “All of the staff made me feel super comfortable.”
Ranft added she thought donating would hurt, but it ended up being painless.
“I didn’t even know the needle was in,” she said. “I would totally do it again.”
Schehl said she and Butts started the Future Health Professionals Club to offer students interested in health care opportunities to explore a career in health care.
“I know a lot of people at the high school want to become doctors, and I feel like there was a gap there,” Schehl said. “I felt like this would be a good extracurricular opportunity.”
She added the club’s main goal is to provide members with as many learning experiences as possible.
Schehl said she was pleasantly surprised by attendance at the drive and hopes to continue creating learning opportunities for the club.
“It was really cool to see the turnout,” she said. “This is the first time in five years that the school has allowed a blood drive. I’m really grateful for everyone’s hard work and dedication that went into producing this and making it so successful.”
Published and digitized March 2026.
