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Heroic Pride

Bernadette Betmashal, Publicity Chair (11)
April 4, 2014
Heroic Pride

Many people dread having a needle forced into their vein. Some kids have to at a young age, due to having a sickness similar to cancer. PitmanHigh School allows students to volunteer their blood in order to save three lives. 

Yes, volunteering to have a needle enter your skin is choice everyone dreads, but the thought of having saved three lives within a period of twenty minutes is an honor to the donor and a blessing to the receiver. 

PitmanHigh school held a biannual blood drive on March 12, 2014. An estimated 120 students volunteered which means that about 350 lives were saved within a period of eight hours. 

A donating student has to be no less than 110 pounds, at least sixteen years old, and have a parent’s approval, in order to donate blood.

“I was nervous at first, everyone around me was, but once entering the blood and communicating with the workers, who calmed me down, I was able to appreciate the reason why I was there in the beginning- to save lives!” explained Jocelyn De La Torre, junior at Pitman High School.

Every fifteen minuets students escape from their classroom to enter the Blood Drive busses, located in the middle of the school. Students receive a Blood Drive shirt as a reward for donating their blood.

“I’m not going to lie, receiving a shirt was one of the many reasons why I donated blood, and they were pretty cool this year!” Steven Acosta, a junior at Pitman exclaimed. 

Once in the busses, hearts were pounding- and not for the reason that your body was producing blood, but for the reason that the thought of having a needle in your arm was becoming reality- for me at least.

After the pint of blood was sucked out of the student’s body, they were offered crackers, cookies, popcorn, etc. in order to allow the body to rest and hydrate before releasing the students back to their classes.

“It took about an hour and a half before I was able to go back to class, but it was worth it; knowing I saved three peoples lives will put a smile on my face in till the next Blood Drive, then the cycle will continue.” Ariana Garcia, a junior at PitmanHigh School stated excitedly.

Donating blood is a frightening experience, especially for a sixteen year old, but the result of donating blood is worth a maximum of twenty minutes of pain (truthfully it is not even painful). 

So when the next years Blood Drive busses roll in, Grab a sign-up sheet, get a parents signature and save three lives- just like that!
About the Contributor
Bernadette Betmashal
Bernadette Betmashal, Publicity Chair (11)
Bernadette always visualized her life to be comparable to a movie. Her first couple of years were more of an adventure, but, farther down the path, she came to a realization that her life was meant to be similar to a mystery. Bernadette would constantly question the reason of her fascination towards Marc Anthony; her peers would also, unsupportively, discuss this matter throughout the eight hour school day. “Why him?” “He’s too old!” “His ears are humongous!” To zone everyone out she would constantly be singing his hit. “Dime porque lloras, de felicidad, y porque te ahogas por, la soledad.” Spanish? Yes, It’s true: Bernadette has learned more Spanish from Marc Anthony’s songs, then she has her last four years of taking Spanish classes.
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