A local community member donating her blood to help others.

Type A+: Del Val’s National Honors Society hosts fall blood drive

Gianna Roberts, Neha Sethi, Tyler Botto, Ellie Lyons, Lillyana DeMartino, and Doris Cruz Alvarado

November 18, 2024

Gianna Roberts

The NHS Blood Drive brought students, staff and community members together for a common cause.

On Nov. 14, Del Val’s National Honors Society (NHS) hosted its semi-annual blood drive. In Nov. and March, NHS collaborates with the Red Cross in Del Val’s gymnasium to collect as much blood as possible. Anyone is invited to donate blood including students, staff and community members.

The Red Cross collected 59 units of blood. One pint can save up to three lives, therefore, 177 lives could be impacted by the Del Val community.

Out of the 55 participants, 23 of them were first-time donors. One of these first-time donors was senior Jaben Ni. He was proud of the big impact a small amount of his time could do.

“It felt a little weird at first, but, overall, I’m really happy I did it,” Ni said. “The fact that I helped at least one person with just 20 minutes of my time is a really good feeling.”

While all donated blood is beneficial, Type O blood is most helpful. O-negative blood, also known as the “universal donor,” can be given to any person, regardless of their blood type. O-positive blood is the most common blood type which causes its high demand. 16 donors at the fall blood drive were Type O.

Gianna Roberts

Those over the age of 17, or 16 with parental consent, are invited to donate. NHS secretary Lia McNamara helped organize the event and donated herself.

"I think it really highlights the importance of 'caring for one's neighbor,'" McNamara said. "Especially because it's such a small school, and we're able to have such a big impact."

NHS members provided snacks and drinks. In addition to their physical contributions, members also donated their time, leading donors to and from the gym.

Buddy the Blood Drop, a Red Cross mascot, was present at this year's blood drive to cheer on donors. (Lillyana DeMartino)

Red Cross mascot, Buddy the Blood Drop, was present to entertain and encourage donors. Junior Taylor Negrin, the face behind Buddy, hoped her role positively impacted those around her.

"It's a goofy-looking costume, but I think it put a smile on a lot of people's faces," Negrin said. "Giving blood can be a scary thing, so I hope Buddy could help with some of that fear."

The NHS will host a second blood drive on March 18. If you're interested in donating, a signup link is available now.

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About the Contributors

Gianna Roberts, Editor-in-chief

Gianna is a junior at Del Val and this is her third year working on "The Delphi," now as the Editor-in-chief. In her free time, Gianna enjoys baking, reading and listening to music, especially Taylor Swift. In addition to "The Delphi," Gianna is apart of Quill and Scroll, Model UN, Peer Leaders and Habitat for Humanity.

Neha Sethi, Video Editor

Neha is a junior at Del Val and is the Video Editor for "The Delphi." She is apart of the Biomedical Science Academy, Key Club and Peer Leaders. In her free time, she loves to play sports and watch TV shows.

Tyler Botto, Reporter

Tyler Botto is a freshman at Del Val and a first-year reporter for “The Delphi.” He went to Immaculate Conception School in Annandale for elementary and middle school. In his free time, Tyler takes care of his new puppy Griffin, and helps his family whenever he can. He has two older sisters at Moravian University.

Ellie Lyons, Opinion Editor

Ellie Lyons is a sophomore at Del Val. This is her second year writing for “The Delphi,” and she is the Opinion Editor. Ellie plays softball for Del Val and enjoys reading in her free time. She hopes to improve her editorial and leadership skills this school year.

Lillyana DeMartino, Photo Editor

Lillyana is a first year reporter for "The Delphi." Lillyana is a competitive gymnast who loves to write and take pictures in her free time. She is very excited for her first year with “The Delphi.”

Doris Cruz Alvarado, Reporter

Doris is a first year reporter for The Delphi.