After years of successful blood drives at Academy Park High School, the Southeast Delco School District is considering expanding its Red Cross partnership.
The expansion would bring the program to the district’s 1st-8th grade buildings, where younger students could take part in educational programs and engagement opportunities, and staff would be eligible to participate in blood donation drives.
Academy Park High School has partnered with the American Red Cross since 2016. Over the past nine years, students and staff have donated 650 units of blood, helping save the lives of hundreds of patients.
“Our longstanding partnership with the Red Cross allows our students to make a real difference in our community,” said Superintendent Dr. Yamil Sanchez Rivera. “We’re very proud of the success of this program at Academy Park High School and are exploring ways to broaden this initiative to include our lower grade students and staff.”
Jennifer Graham, CEO of the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region, emphasized the importance of engaging students at an early age.
“Whether it’s teaching lifesaving home fire safety and hands-only CPR skills or demonstrating the value of donating blood, it’s important for us to reach students at a young age,” said Graham. “We’re also at work in the Collingdale, Darby, Folcroft and Sharon Hill communities at large, making residents safer by installing free smoke alarms and helping families recover after disasters like home fires and flooding.”
By connecting with local schools, the Red Cross continues this work by empowering students and staff to make a meaningful impact in their own communities.
The next blood drive at Academy Park High School will take place Wednesday, April 30.
For more information about the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region, visit https://www.redcross.org/local/pennsylvania/southeastern-pennsylvania.