Arrowhead High School will be hosting a spring blood drive on Friday, May 20 from 8 AM until 1 PM in the North Campus gym.

The Arrowhead Student Senate is sponsoring the event.

Students who plan to participate in the blood drive must bring a driver’s license, or two alternative forms of identification. Students must be 17 years old to participate. However, with permission from a parent, students who are at least 16 years old will be allowed to donate.

Anyone who plans on donating must weigh at least 110 lbs. Additionally, according to the flyer posted on the Arrowhead website, students must be in “generally good health” to be an eligible donor. There are additional height and weight requirements that students under the age of 18 must meet in order to participate in the blood drive.

Senior Ashlyn Seckinger says she has participated in previous blood drives.

Seckinger says, “It makes me feel good that I can help someone else so easily.” “Anyone who is planning on donating should make sure they meet all the requirements, eat the morning of the blood drive, and drink plenty of water.”

The American Red Cross, a group whose mission is to tend to all human emergencies and crises, is helping Arrowhead Student Senate with the event.

According to the American Red Cross website, “More than 1.68 million people are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2016. Many of them will need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment.”

A single victim of a car accident can require as much as 100 pints of donated blood in order to survive. Over 37,000 people in the United States die in car accidents each year.

Each year, about 6.8 million people donate blood. About 38% of the United States population is eligible to donate blood, but under 10% actually donate blood each year.

Any student who fits the above requirements and wishes to donate blood may sign up at lunch from May 9