PIKE CREEK, Del. – At Saint Mark’s High School, there was a strong sense of déjà vu on Thursday, November 7.
The high school’s fall blood drive booked all 75 appointments, and the Spartans ended up collecting 62 units of blood (minus deferrals), Blood Bank of Delmarva Account Manager Gia Rivera said. In uncanny fashion, this mirrored the 63 donors who came into Saint Mark’s on November 9, 2023.
Speaking of déjà vu, Saint Mark’s seniors Angel Rizzo, Mackenzie Fanning, and Claire Krause, all 17, came back to donate after being among the first 16-year-olds to donate with BBD at Saint Mark’s last year.
“It just feels good to help, give blood, and help save people,” Angel said.
For Mackenzie, this was actually her fourth time donating in her young life. After being inspired by her first donation at Saint Mark’s last year, she donated twice at the Christiana Donor Center, before donating again in Spartans territory.
Mackenzie set a personal record with her hemoglobin, clocking in at 14.3! What’s more, her unit of blood was soon sent to Nemours Children’s Hospital.
Ellie Newton, senior, 17, is president of the school’s National Honor Society Optimi Chapter. Ellie and fellow senior Tyler Roddy, 17, staffed the café in the morning, and National Honor Society students came in throughout the blood drive to volunteer and/or donate blood.
A combination of flyers, emails, word of mouth, and good organization helped lead to success at this blood drive, Ellie said.
“People want to help by giving blood. They might not like needles, but they still want to do it,” she said.
Ellie actually worked in the café for the entire blood drive and joining her at different intervals were NHS Optimi Chapter members Kiera Kyei-Mensah, senior, 17; Riley Fanjoy, senior, 18; juniors Kaitlyn Derasmo and Kayleigh Bristow, 16; and others. Ellie also made a point to visit other students donating blood.
To Ellie’s point, students by and large donated for the altruism of it all.
“I know I’m helping other people,” said Babita Bonis, a senior, 18. “This is my second time; it’s been fun.”
We also had one mother-daughter tandem donating blood, albeit at different times – Maureen “Mo” Tyree and junior Lauren Tyree, 16. This was Lauren’s first time ever donating blood, while Mo is a regular at Saint Mark’s High School blood drives.
In addition to Mo, other faculty were seen donating, including Saint Mark’s High School President Patrick Tiernan, who gave double red cells, and Erin Dugan from Advancement. Donating blood was something Tiernan’s mother got him into.
“I tell students all the time, it’s the easiest gift you can give,” he said.
Among other donors, Saint Mark’s junior Catherine Jones, just 16, already donated for the second time in her young life.
“This time, I think I prepared better,” Catherine said, in comparison to her first time.
Last but not least, junior Madiella Keefer, 16, is one of long line of students who came to Saint Mark’s from Holy Angels. She donated for the first time, following in the footsteps of Mariana Ferandez, who donated last year at Saint Mark’s and also this fall semester at University of Delaware.
“I wanted to do the right thing and save a life by donating blood,” Madiella told The Dialog newspaper. “I was nervous, but I didn’t need to be talked into it. I feel better, a lot less nervous.”
Saint Mark’s will hold another blood in spring.
