Sullivan West sweeps Red Cross High School Challenge

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — It wasn’t just another high school task. It was more like a mission.

That’s how seniors Amanda Baum and Heather Gorr saw their role in organizing and running two blood drives for this year’s Red Cross Blood Services’ Northeastern Pennsylvania Region’s High School Challenge at the Sullivan West High School. With more than 20 schools participating, the goal of the contest was to design an ad campaign that would motivate the school’s eligible blood donors (students 17 and older) to come out in force.

Baum and Gorr put together a Power Point presentation that included pictures of blood drives, posters and information on local kids who have benefited from the donation of blood.

“If you have a creative campaign, you’ll get more donors,” said Baum. Gorr added, “Our presentation was very personal and showed people who needed blood.” Those recipients included Gracie Hillriegel, a fourth grader at Sullivan West at Delaware Valley, Jazmine Fuentes and Travis Bright.

Sullivan West had the highest percentage of eligible blood donors and won the award for the most creative ad campaign as well. Of the 251 eligible blood donors in the high school’s student population, 166 donated blood.

On June 13 Baum and Gorr were present to receive their award certificates from Dawn Ciorciari, a representative for American Red Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Blood Services. Both girls are looking into pursuing studies related to the medical profession. Baum will be studying art therapy at the College of New Rochelle, and Gorr anticipates taking courses related to medicine at Penn State University.