In the red: AHS hosts successful blood drive
Some parents concerned about not having to give permission to donate
BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer

ALLENTOWN - The Allentown High School (AHS) Student Council continues to host successful blood drives, but this year some parents questioned the tactics used in conducting the drive.

The drive at the high school Nov. 13 collected 64 units of blood. The council had set a goal to collect 70 units of blood, but 19 of the 83 potential donors were deferred, according to Sharlene Ragan of the Central Jersey Blood Center (CJBC), which is a nonprofit community blood center that aims to provide a safe supply of blood, blood products and other related services to area hospitals.

After the blood drive, several parents objected to their 17- year-olds being allowed to donate blood without parental permission.

AHS Principal Christopher Nagy said that during past blood drives, only 16- year-old students needed to have consent forms signed in order to donate blood. He said the blood center provided the permission forms.

"This past year, the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] changed the rules, which excluded 16-year-old students from the process," he said.

The FDA no longer allows 16-year-olds to donate blood and requires students who want to donate to be at least 17 years old and 120 pounds, according to Nagy.

"No permission forms are necessary," he said.

Due to parental concerns regarding the lack of permission forms in this year's drive, Nagy said that the spring 2008 blood drive will require permission forms from 17-yearold students who would like to provide blood.

"A student who is 18 does not have to receive permission, given his/her age," Nagy said.

AHS senior Drew Muscente, 17, of Allentown, said that every year, the Student Council organizes two blood drives in association with the CJBC.

"Usually, Student Council's activities focus on raising money for their selected charity, which this year is the Valerie Fund," Muscente said.

The Valerie Fund's mission is to provide support for the comprehensive health care of children with cancer and blood disorders, according to its Web site.

Muscente said that the blood drive is different from the council's usual activities.

"It's really cool because all our profits come in the form of blood," he said. "According to the CJBC, there is a blood shortage in New Jersey, which is important because it means that there is less blood for needy patients."

He continued, "So, high school blood drives are an important source of blood."

After being elected as the Student Council representative to the Upper Freehold Regional Board of Education last spring, Muscente said he was given more responsibility and jumped at the chance to chair and organize the blood drive.

"I knew how important the drive was, and I thought it was an excellent opportunity," he said.

With the help of teachers Patricia Sweeney and Lynn Folino and the rest of the Student Council, Muscente started to organize the fall blood drive. His main role, Muscente said, was to match the needs of the school, the administration and the Student Council with the needs of the CJBC.

A CJBC representative gave him the information, fliers and posters necessary for advertising the blood drive.

While the drive was open to all eligible members of the community, students could sign up to participate during their lunch periods.

"I had tried my best to get students to sign up, and we managed to acquire over eight sign-ups, most of whom did give blood," Muscente said.

Senior Kristy Langione, 17, of Allentown, who is the Student Council president, said, "The blood drive is really beneficial because it gives all of the eligible students a way to directly give back to the community, and even if anyone is nervous about donating at first, they always feel good about themselves afterwards."

Muscente arrived early at the school Nov. 13 to help the CJBC set up in the gym. He and other council representatives kept track of all the students who came to give blood throughout the day.

At the conclusion of the drive, a CJBC representative gave him two "really good tickets" to the Nets vs. Sixers game on Dec. 1, which the Student Council raffled off at its Nov. 20 Powder Puff Football Game to raise money for the Valerie Fund.

Alana Heifetz, 17, Millstone, who is the public relations representative for the Student Council, said that people often take their good health for granted and don't realize how beneficial a single donation of blood could be for a person in need.

"Hopefully, with each drive Student Council hosts, countless lives can be saved," she said.

The senior said that she first joined the Student Council in her sophomore year, when the council was still only hosting one drive per year.

"Last year the success of the drive in combination with the overwhelming demand for blood has led us to start holding two drives each year," she said.

She continued, "Each blood drive spreads awareness and receives almost 100 donors. The drives are incredibly important because so many people are in desperate need for blood donations each day."

Students, teachers, parents and area residents are all encouraged to stop by the spring drive to donate either blood or platelets, Heifetz said.

"Maybe we can even surpass 100 donors in our spring drive," she said.