Boise, ID -- Every year students at Meridian High School in Boise, Idaho, have a number of projects or assignments that help give back to the community. Among them, regular American Red Cross blood drives that attract students who unite for a common goal to help save lives.  In addition to helping their community, there is also the competitive spirit to beat other schools in the region or to break records held by senior classes of previous years.

For the past three years, Meridian High School has hosted three blood drives a year. On March 13, 2009, the school hosted the largest single-day blood drive in Idaho history and set a new record by collecting 189 productive units.

“It takes a lot of people to make every blood drive a success,” says American Red Cross Donor Recruitment Representative Lisa Winters.

The Meridian High student council is very involved with recruiting blood donors as well as promoting the event and assisting at the blood drives. With the help of two or three community volunteers, the students help with registration and in the refreshment area. The faculty and administration are also involved with the preparation and hosting of the drives. The school provides opportunities for American Red Cross representatives to answer frequently asked questions and give in-depth presentations about the blood donation process prior to the drives.

The American Red Cross works to ensure that the altruistic lessons these kids learn in high school will continue into their adult lives. That’s part of the reason the Boise Blood Donor Center hosts a special high school reunion blood drive in June before many student leave for college. “These students deserve to be recognized for their generosity in donating blood. It is very important for them to keep that legacy going,” adds Winters. “They know that being part of blood drives truly helps save lives.”