On Friday, February 28, Upper St. Clair High School held its second blood drive of the school year—offering students a meaningful opportunity to give back by donating blood to those in need of life-saving transfusions.
This ongoing initiative has become a tradition at USC, with the most recent drive prior to this one taking place in October 2024. Hosted in the LGI, the event saw a strong turnout, with 41 student donors rotating through seven stations throughout the day. Each student spent approximately 30–40 minutes participating, beginning with check-in and a short wait before being assigned to a donation bed. After giving blood, students remained in the recovery area for 15 minutes to ensure they felt well enough to return to class. Complimentary snacks and drinks were provided to aid in recovery.
Student donor Jordan Brown shared her positive experience, saying, “I’ve done the blood drive twice, and I always feel like I’m doing a great thing for someone in need! It always goes super smoothly, and I’ve never had any issues!”
Beyond its impact on the broader community, the blood drive also offers USC students a chance to get involved on a deeper level. Members of the National Honor Society (NHS) volunteered to help facilitate the event—checking students in and out, distributing snacks, recruiting walk-in donors, and assisting the technicians as needed. For NHS members, the event offered a valuable opportunity to earn service hours while participating in a cause that brings the school community together.
“It was great to see students and teachers from our community contributing to such an important event,” said volunteer Lily Thompson.
A key figure behind the success of the blood drive is Ms. Surunis, who organizes and oversees the entire operation. Reflecting on this year’s event, she said, “Organizing and hosting a blood drive is a big undertaking, but with the help of NHS members and the Vitalant Organization, we are able to save lives—making it all worth it! I am always so impressed by the number of students willing to participate. This year, with the generous donations of students and staff, we were able to donate enough blood to save 96 lives! I hope to continue growing our donation numbers in the years to come by reminding students how one small donation can make a huge impact.”
With each drive, Upper St. Clair continues to demonstrate the power of student involvement and community spirit. Thanks to the efforts of donors, volunteers, and organizers, the impact of this single day will be felt far beyond the walls of the school.