WEBVTT
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Hi, and welcome to Confluence Conversations, where we explore the partnerships, programs, and experiences that elevate student success across Confluence Academies.
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I'm your host, Hailey Bruick, and today we're spotlighting up the collaboration between Confluence Academies and the American Red Cross.
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We'll be taking a closer look at how this partnership brings health education, service opportunities, and real-world impact directly to schools while also connecting students in meaningful ways as they can support their communities.
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Joining us today is Lacretia Cox, Executive Director of the Greater St.
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Louis chapter of the American Red Cross.
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We're also joined by Debbie Wade Wilson, nurse at Confluence Preparatory Academy, who helps coordinate Red Cross efforts within the school community.
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And also joining us is Brandon Price, a junior at CPA.
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Let's start with Lacretia Cox.
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And I would like to have you share with us how the American Red Cross partners with schools like Confluence Academies and why education is such an important part of your mission.
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Yeah, so our mission is to prevent and to alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies.
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And one of the things that we do is that we have youth education programs and we wanted to partner with Confluence Academies specifically because we know that many of the students may have been impacted by the May 16th tornado.
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And so since this is spring season, we wanted to get ahead to make sure that kids really had the opportunity to learn how to prepare in the face of an emergency, such as a tornado.
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We have a program that's called Prepare with Pedro, and this is a youth education program for ages pre-K to third grade that really helps children understand how to be calm in the face of an emergency, what they can do to prepare exactly, and provide some skills that they have.
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All of the kids receive a safety plan and they understand what it takes to really get themselves mentally prepared, and also we have information that's in home to parents as well.
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And so it's a really cool program, and we do it in for several different disasters, like home fire campaigns, all sorts of different things to help children be adequately just safe and secure to know that when an emergency occurs that they they can respond to it appropriately.
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We also um blood is a really serious part of our mission.
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We um save lives that way, and um we um reached out to them to do a blood drive.
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We do blood drives all across high schools in the area, and so we were really excited that they agreed to do a blood drive with us.
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Well, that's that's awesome and a lot.
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Um let me go back to the tornado because I remember that day, and we had a lot of our students.
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It was graduation day, or the next day was graduation?
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Uh it was definitely around the day, yeah.
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Yeah.
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And I know a lot of our students were affected by it.
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Nurse Wade Wilson, can you um what was your experience that day?
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So uh on that day, I didn't happen to be here, but I heard about it.
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I know a lot of our families were affected by it.
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I know that our graduation was that evening on our Valley Victorian's house uh was destroyed uh in that.
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And uh he was delayed on getting here, he and his family, but they did make it.
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Uh, this um preparedness this year, I think, was great that you went to the middle school, the elementary and middle schools, because a lot of those kids now, when they have storms, uh I have been told by our nurses that they get nervous, uh wondering if that's gonna happen again.
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So for them to have a safety plan and know exactly kind of what to do and not get really anxious is wonderful to have Pedro have come to that building to do that.
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So it impacted our our schools a lot.
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Uh we helped a lot of families in that.
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Um, our director of student support set up food banks for them to come and get uh food items and personal hygiene items and things like that for that day.
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Brandon, let's turn to you.
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Um, what was your experience and how would I know if you had any preparedness before that, or how would how'd you handle that situation and your friends too?
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So uh I was actually doing a mediation, I think, around this time with me and my friends just doing my training, and we were all fairly nervous about the tornado because I think it said it was kind of close to the school.
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So I'm like, oh man, but personally I have friends who got affected by it, like, you know, they schools, some people's houses got torn down.
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I have family and family friends who got their houses torn down.
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And I see a lot of historic landmarks and just places everywhere close to my place at that that got knocked down.
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So we was trying to help as much as we could.
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Me and another family friend of mine.
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We was going around uh seeing if people need full resources like water, uh, what we can do to do to help them with FEMA and all these sorts of things.
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And I have a lunch lady downstairs, her name is Lynette Lynn.
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Uh she be talking to me about it all the time, her process.
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Um, her house unfortunately got knocked down, her and her mother's.
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And they have a program where you know the person, he put them in a hotel until he got replacement for you know the damages and whatnot.
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So he helped move their clothes, get them food.
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He just, you know, benefited them.
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And you know.
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Okay, okay.
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I lost my chain of thought.
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Well, let's chime in there, like with the Red Cross.
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How can they help in these situations, especially preparing students for his involvement?
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Yeah, so we actually have a Red Cross Club that we do um across high schools in the area, and um, one of the things that we do is we have volunteer opportunities.
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Honestly, 90% of our workforce at the Red Cross are volunteers, and our youth volunteers are our largest population in helping us achieve our mission.
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And so there are wonderful ways with the Red Cross Club that you can be involved.
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Um, we have something that's called a disaster action team.
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If people don't know, the number one disaster that we respond to every day are home fires, but um, we give them, you know, training, lots of training to go out to be able to assist their neighbors.
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That's our model.
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We want neighbors to help neighbors and communities because that's the only way that we can keep up with the ever going disasters that are coming our way.
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And so um, in the event of a tornado, the same thing.
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You can go out into community.
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We did food, feeding, um, we provided shelter for all of um the families that were impacted, and we provided um resources and individual and financial assistance for families that were impacted.
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Yeah, that's huge.
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Um switching gears a little bit, you also have blood drives.
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Yes.
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So how does that, you know, feed into the school system and your partnership?
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Right.
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So, you know, all the only three percent of the population that are eligible to donate blood actually give.
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And so that's a small amount of number.
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And we know that you know, we need blood for trauma injuries, car accidents, cancer, um, for all sorts of diseases, and specifically for sickle cell.
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That's the number one um opportunity that we can use for high schools because um people with sickle cell, they they they have to receive a number of um transfusions, and it's really important to have a genetic match.
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So we are trying to increase the number of African American donors and Hispanic American donors because they are more likely to develop sickle cell.
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And so um it is really critical that we get the word out to share and educate the importance of why blood is needed.
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I don't think people know that, you know, that they can reject certain types of blood.
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And so it's really important that we have more close-up and match to them.
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And so we're we're educating, we're increasing our blood drives in more diverse communities, and I think we just have to talk about the stigma a little bit more because people are afraid of needles.
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They're afraid of it.
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And so um we we need people, a school body and collective young people to start giving at an early age so that when they get older that they'll give automatically.
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And honestly, it wasn't that bad doing it.
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I was doing it to help, you know, my community just in whatever way I can, whether it's got to do with sickness or injury, whatever, whatever the case may be, I just did it just to help out.
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So going into it, it didn't, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was.
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Like obviously, I'm one of those people who don't particularly like needles, but it didn't, it didn't really hurt too bad.
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The service, you know, it was pretty good.
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Everybody was nice, polite, walking me through everything, making sure I'm comfortable and whatnot.
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And the process itself, it didn't really, you know, affect me.
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They took, you know, a nice little amount of blood, but it was worth it though, definitely.
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I think people, especially a student, if you're looking to help your community in any s way, shape, or form, you should do the blood drive.
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I mean, see, and that's huge having a student who can say, look, it's not as bad as you think.
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Because I know Nurse Wade Wilson, you have a struggle kind of getting we do, don't we have blood drives, right?
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We have a couple a year.
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Yes.
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Um, previously we've had for the past 10 years, we've had at least one blood drive.
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Um, mainly in the fall.
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This was a spring one.
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A lot of spring ones we have to um cancel, but we did not do that one this year.
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Uh, we got more kids motivated.
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Brandon was one of the first ones to come and sign up uh when the Blood Cross representative came to come.
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And he had he knew the importance of it, just asking questions about it and getting through his phobia of needles, but he did good.
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Um a lot of kids have to get through that phobia, and you have to tell them, yeah, it's an initial needle, but then there's a catheter that goes in afterwards, and that's how they collect your blood.
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Um, and it's particularly important to us because we have sickle cell students here.
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So they have a sickle cell fighter program.
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Uh, we have adults here who don't who donate on a regular basis, uh, and they're with the sickle cell fighter program.
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And um to give those that blood to the kids who need those transfusions, they get them once a month.
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Uh, I've been here for 15 years, and for all those 15 years, I've had at least one sickle cell, up to three in my building, and they get transfusions.
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They have a lot going on with them, and um, a lot of the kids don't understand exactly what sickle cell is, but these kids do, and they are really grateful to know that there's someone out there, someone their age, who understands what they're going through, who's willing to give that blood that they're able to get on a monthly basis.
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Yep, exactly.
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Right?
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And I'm just thinking programs like this, so our listeners will have some information at the back end where they can find information to reach out, contribute, and all that, but maybe like a promo, you know, part of your curriculum.
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I you know you have curriculum for this, but it's geared towards the younger, and then the older students can volunteer.
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Right.
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We we even have a program for blood as well.
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The one we have for preparedness, we have youth education programs for blood and that we can come into the schools to help them get understanding about what it is to get blood so they're not so afraid when they get older.
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And so it it is really good to understand.
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And also, like I said, in in terms of volunteering, there's so many opportunities for you to engage.
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We at a blood drive, we have what we called ambassadors, and so they can serve as an ambassador at a blood drive just to get people registered and coming in and giving them information that they need ahead of time.
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We can get the word out about how important it is to hydrate and how important it is to ensure that you know you're eating the appropriate amount of food before you give and donate blood because they will test you prior to the blood drive.
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And if you're unable to give, then you have to pass for that day.
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But that that education is crucial and it's huge.
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And so our Red Cross Um Club ambassadors can do a great job at ensuring that all of the programs that we have to have offer, whether it's disaster or even, you know, we have an international humanitarian law program that we do for education around that.
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And so um yes, it's critical.
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And it's also great for them, if I can uh add that if you get so many pints of blood, the school is given money for a scholarship for those students.
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So those students, if you get at least 30, and that's not a lot of pints of blood when you have a school with that has 400 or more people, um, the age of 16 with parental consent, 17 without, um, and if you get 30 pints, then they can get a scholarship,$500.
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You choose to give your senior, the school chooses to give that senior that uh scholarship money.
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That helps, any little bit helps when you're going to school.
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And our seniors, we had a couple who are going to get cords for their cap and gowns, which is exciting to them.
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You know, you have a cord to add on there that you're a volunteer for the Red Cross.
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Brandon will get one, of course, when he's a senior, uh, because I'm sure he's going to participate next year.
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Volunteer, you already and recruit others too.
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Yes, and recruit others for it.
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Do you think people tend to not sign up just because they don't know, like particularly what they're donating their blood to, or do you think it's more towards the needle phobia?
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Great question.
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I think a lot of it is a needle phobia.
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Also, they don't know that they need to give, and they don't know, like, for example, we have to do seven to eleven blood drives per day just to keep up with the hospital demands.
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Most people don't know that.
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And they don't know that the Red Cross provides over 40% of the nation's blood supply.
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So it's really important to give.
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And so the more that we're educating people on the need, I think that would increase our numbers.
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Okay.
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I was just about to ask.
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So what's a good way do you think you can get more students to get drawn in and to donate in blood?
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Like when y'all do these type of jobs and come to other schools and whatnot, especially for like the younger kids, because I know you know the older you get, I mean you may still have that phobia, but it's not as bad compared to if you're someone like in the middle of elementary school.
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Yeah, I think just going through those things, especially in high school, if we do the youth education program where we talk about blood at an elementary school, and so they anticipate that when they get older that they can actually give blood, that's key.
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And so when they turn 16 and they're able to donate, having um a Red Cross youth club, I think is helpful because you're volunteering running all the programs in word of mouth from students, from their own peers about the importance of giving Bora blood really matters.
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And um, once we continually start coming back to do the blood drives, people will see that it's not like your testimony that it's not so bad, that you might have been apprehensive before, but that you did it and you're happy to do so.
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Yes, right.
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And you're excited about it.
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Like you're looking, can't wait till I'm 16 and I can donate, you know.
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It's one of those.
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You know, just to add this, you know, they provide, like I said, they got good service, but they do give you uh snacks, water and afterwards and everything and talk to you about that.
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And it helps being an athlete too.
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He, you know, he was healthy before, you know, hand and everything.
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He did great with his.
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I didn't have any issues.
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Well, I think that's a good point, too, is that this could help motivate students for a career in the health industries.
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No, I mean Yes.
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Um our philipotomists are there and day in, day out in the healthcare field.
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Um, we have an entire biomed team, and we have a actually a lab.
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Um, in our lab, um, really we have on one side of the lab is where they're doing all the testing, and just to be able to see the testing, we do give tours of our lab so they can understand it.
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And then we have the other part of the lab where they're actually processing the blood, um removing the plasma, and you're seeing that process, and then there's a whole research division that focuses on sickle cell, and they talk about what they do with the sickle cell and the research regarding that.
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So um I there I think there's a lot of ways just to engage and to educate.
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Huge educational piece that I don't think most people think of when you hear Red Cross.
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Yes.
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No.
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Yeah.
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The behind the scenes type thing, you know, like you said, the biomed, the lab technicians, the phlebotomists, the nurse who's nurses who are out, the lab techs who are actually running the blood.
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So those are a lot of healthcare careers, and just not nursing, you know.
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Right, yeah, exactly.
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Which is great.
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So education, communication, um, what excites you about the future?
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I think for me, um, we the community mobilization piece for us, um, we're shifting how we operate and do our programming, not what we do, but the how.
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And we know that we need people from community to really help drive um not only the education, but um our service in helping one another.
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And um I I think that the more we integrate within um different aspects of community, and we have 19 counties in Missouri and Illinois, so we have a big area, but the more um we people get people engaged within our mission and wanting to help, I think that's what excites me the most because I can see um when just even with a home on fire response, um when people feel empowered to help their neighbor, um they feel like they're contributing more, not only to a greater mission, but to their community.
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And that's what excites me the most.
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Absolutely.
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And we have a community in school.
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What excites you about this conversation?
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It excites me that uh the scholarship portion of it for the students, um, helping our students who have sickle cell, who have the medical conditions, uh, getting our students more engaged and understanding why they should give.
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Uh, and not the, you know, oh, it's gonna hurt, it's a needle.
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But okay, when I give this, I'm I'm becoming a leader in my community, you know, like Brandon is one of our leaders.
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Hopefully, we'll get him involved in the club.
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Leaders save lives.
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They have that program within the Red Cross.
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Um, and like he wants to bring, he did it this year, and he brought on some of your people to come on.
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He brought some of his uh fellow athletes on to also do it.
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You know, he I did it, and they were coming to ask me to call their parents, and they were 16.
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Um, yeah, and it was like I was trying to call parents, and sometimes we have to convince the parents, you know, because they have a stigma too about the giving of the blood.
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So when the kids get involved at that young age, elementary school, then when, like you said, they get into high school and they're like, I want to do this, mom, I want to do this.
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Because I did have parents to say, eh, you know, they're gonna give blood, they may be sick, well no, and I had to talk to them.
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And then the students said, I really want to do this.
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And they did it.
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They said, Okay, it's okay, I'm gonna go ahead and sign the form.
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So I'm excited about that, just and getting more blood, helping out the community more, more so.
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And even our Hispanic population, we did have a couple who um signed up for to give blood through that population.
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And um, I like that they have the diversity of having the Spanish speaking or it's the Spanish uh consent forms and information in Spanish as well.
00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:55.599
Um, so that that really helped out to see them give it, and more of them wanted to, but I couldn't get a lot of um the parents to agree.
00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:57.119
Yeah, but maybe next year.
00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:58.559
Right, or when they're older.
00:19:58.720 --> 00:19:59.839
And definitely yeah.
00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:00.960
Did you want to comment?
00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:01.359
Go ahead.
00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:04.799
I think one cool thing too is a useful tool that we have.
00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:09.119
We have apps, several apps, but we do have the blood donor app.
00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:12.559
And so you can see exactly where your blood is going.
00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:23.920
And so I think just having that tool and I think bringing it home to the parents to help educate them to let them know, like, look, I gave blood, this is where my blood went.
00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:30.000
Okay, and so it's just that continued conversation, and then it lets you know when you're eligible to donate again.
00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:34.160
And so even though you donated here at your school, you may do it once a year.
00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:36.960
You can see all the other ways and opportunities for you to donate.
00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:51.440
You're right about that, because we have a staff member who gives on a regular basis, and she's been giving since she was a teenager because she had a friend who had sickle cell in school, and um he he was getting transfusion, so she continued to give.
00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:57.119
And she told me last week, she said, Hey, my blood went to someone here at Bournemouth High School.
00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:00.640
Yes, I I that was a component when you said that.
00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:06.960
She said, It normally goes someplace else, but it makes me feel good that I gave here for a change in my community.
00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:13.839
I mean, what I'm hearing, I'm hearing communication, education, community, culture, leadership, right?
00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:17.839
I mean, and Brandon, I mean, maybe you want to take on this role.
00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:23.839
No, it definitely wouldn't be bad, especially just to add on to what I'm trying to do for my future.
00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:30.079
Um, it definitely helps impact myself as to how to be a better leader and how I can better help my community as it is.
00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:37.599
So being able to know that my blood is going somewhere, you know, beneficial and that's gonna help somebody, it kind of does.
00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:39.359
It empowers me.
00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:41.599
It makes me want to come back and do it.
00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:44.240
It makes me feel good about myself.
00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:46.640
Absolutely, and like a civic duty.
00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:50.880
Well, does anyone have anything to add to conclude or anything we missed talking about?
00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:54.480
I am curious, like what's the process elimination factor?
00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:59.119
Like when you do donate blood, like how do you how am I trying to explain?
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.640
Not eligible.
00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:05.759
How are you like what makes you eligible to go to a certain person or not eligible to go to a certain person?
00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:16.000
Well, there are a couple of things for the testing and um or aspect, you need to if you have high blood pressure that day, you're not eligible to get blood.
00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:22.079
If you're taking certain medications like um blood thinners, um you're not eligible to donate.
00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:33.440
And certain other heart medications, because you want to make sure that a your blood they'll test on the other side, but you want to make sure that you're healthy yourself so that when you're giving blood, it doesn't harm you as a person.
00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:40.880
Um once we get to the testing lab, if you have certain diseases, then your blood is ineligible to give.
00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:46.720
And so they're they have to ensure that the blood that they're giving to the individual does not harm them.
00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:54.559
And so those are some factors that will um not qualify a person's blood for being given to someone.
00:22:54.960 --> 00:23:03.039
And so they will contact you though, too, if your blood is not for whatever reason, if they detect something in our lab, you receive a notification.
00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:06.400
But also at our high school level, weight, age, right?
00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:07.680
Those surface.
00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:15.599
And sometimes piercings, you know, tattoos that you had, where you had them within the amount of time that you've had them.
00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:21.759
So uh we may get a lot of kids to sign up, but it's important to know that that comes with education.
00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:22.160
Right.
00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:30.319
You know, if you've had a tattoo within the last couple weeks and where that was given at, that maybe you won't be able to donate blood this time.
00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:31.759
But don't give up.
00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:39.200
Just know that okay, you have this certain period of time, and if you can kind of wait in order to do that, that would be good.
00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:41.759
And also, students, you know, still sign up.
00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:44.319
If you're listening to the podcast, still sign up, you know.
00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:46.960
Let them say, hey, maybe next time, right?
00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:48.160
Yes, absolutely.
00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:49.599
I tell people that all the time.
00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:50.400
Yep.
00:23:50.799 --> 00:23:51.200
All right.
00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:53.119
Uh, anything else to add?
00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:59.680
That is huge education, and for our listeners, um, we will provide a lot of this information as show notes, which actually let's start there.
00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:05.440
Is there a way to reach out to you for if another school wants to start a program or students want to volunteer?
00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:14.720
We always encourage people to go to our website and it's www.redcross.org or um 1-800 Red Cross.
00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:15.680
Um that's easy.
00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:16.880
It's a number to remember.
00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:18.880
So just down 1-800 Red Cross.
00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:24.720
You can get directed to where you need to go and um get plugged into um saving lives.
00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:25.279
Great.
00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:26.559
Anything to add?
00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:27.680
No?
00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:34.960
Well, I like that they have at the Rare Cross Online too the programs at a glance, high school programs at a glance.
00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:45.680
Um, they're the high high school scholarship program, the sickle cell fighter high school program, the community club program that you talked about, and leaders save lives program.
00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:48.640
So these are all the programs for high schoolers.
00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:56.799
Um, if they, anyone listening, want to contact me here at Confluence Preparatory Academy, um Debbie Wade Wilson, I'm the school nurse here.
00:24:56.960 --> 00:25:08.400
Please feel to re reach out to me and I can give you information on how to better do it and to download those apps uh that you were talking about, like Richard was talking about, so we can get them started on that.
00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:09.599
Fantastic.
00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:12.079
Oh, actually, we got one more question.
00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:15.200
Okay, because I know students like me are curious about this.
00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:20.319
Yeah, so um when we do donate blood, I did want to know blood, my blood type.
00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:25.279
Can we like can y'all like somewhere hit me back as to they will?
00:25:25.359 --> 00:25:29.119
They'll send you a card in the mail and they'll let you know what your blood type is.
00:25:29.359 --> 00:25:29.839
All right, yeah.
00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:33.200
And I was wondering if they still did the card because that's back when I was in high school.
00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:35.680
But now with the app, I figured it might just be in the app.
00:25:35.920 --> 00:25:36.640
Like when you register.
00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:41.599
So I got my card and in the mail um after giving.
00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:48.799
And so um I think that's useful because you can carry it around, and so people will see what your blood type is in case something may happen.
00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:50.640
Well, it's very important for you to know your blood type.
00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:52.000
It is very definitely.
00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:55.279
Is there like a estimated time as to how long it might take?
00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:56.880
Like maybe like two to three weeks, something like that.
00:25:57.119 --> 00:26:04.640
It's probably three to four weeks, two to three weeks within that time frame because they're they're processing the blood, and so it takes a little bit of time, but you'll get it in the mail.
00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:05.359
Gotcha.
00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:05.599
Okay.
00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:06.079
That's awesome.
00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:08.880
Well, to all our guests, thank you everyone for being here.
00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:12.240
This was huge, educational, and um, I loved having you.
00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:13.279
Great conversation.
00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:18.000
We need to continue it and continue the education in the schools and the partnerships that we have.
00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:18.960
Thank you so much.
00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:20.480
I'm thanks for having us here.
00:26:20.640 --> 00:26:28.880
And I enjoyed working with you to get our blood drive in um together and also just to make sure kids are educated about preparedness for emergencies.
00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:29.759
Absolutely.
00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:36.160
And to all our listeners, thank you for listening and joining us for another episode of Confluence Conversations.
00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:46.640
Be sure to follow, share, and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcast so you never miss a conversation about the partnerships and programs shaping student success across Confluence Academies.
00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:47.599
Have a great day.
00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:19.600
Hi, and welcome to Confluence Conversations, where we explore the partnerships, programs, and experiences that elevate student success across Confluence Academies.
00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:26.960
I'm your host, Hailey Bruick, and today we're spotlighting up the collaboration between Confluence Academies and the American Red Cross.
00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:40.079
We'll be taking a closer look at how this partnership brings health education, service opportunities, and real-world impact directly to schools while also connecting students in meaningful ways as they can support their communities.
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Joining us today is Lacretia Cox, Executive Director of the Greater St.
00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:46.560
Louis chapter of the American Red Cross.
00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:54.640
We're also joined by Debbie Wade Wilson, nurse at Confluence Preparatory Academy, who helps coordinate Red Cross efforts within the school community.
00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:58.719
And also joining us is Brandon Price, a junior at CPA.
00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:00.719
Let's start with Lacretia Cox.
00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:11.120
And I would like to have you share with us how the American Red Cross partners with schools like Confluence Academies and why education is such an important part of your mission.
00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:18.319
Yeah, so our mission is to prevent and to alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies.
00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:32.000
And one of the things that we do is that we have youth education programs and we wanted to partner with Confluence Academies specifically because we know that many of the students may have been impacted by the May 16th tornado.
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And so since this is spring season, we wanted to get ahead to make sure that kids really had the opportunity to learn how to prepare in the face of an emergency, such as a tornado.
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We have a program that's called Prepare with Pedro, and this is a youth education program for ages pre-K to third grade that really helps children understand how to be calm in the face of an emergency, what they can do to prepare exactly, and provide some skills that they have.
00:02:02.879 --> 00:02:14.400
All of the kids receive a safety plan and they understand what it takes to really get themselves mentally prepared, and also we have information that's in home to parents as well.
00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:30.400
And so it's a really cool program, and we do it in for several different disasters, like home fire campaigns, all sorts of different things to help children be adequately just safe and secure to know that when an emergency occurs that they they can respond to it appropriately.
00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:34.560
We also um blood is a really serious part of our mission.
00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:41.120
We um save lives that way, and um we um reached out to them to do a blood drive.
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We do blood drives all across high schools in the area, and so we were really excited that they agreed to do a blood drive with us.
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Well, that's that's awesome and a lot.
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Um let me go back to the tornado because I remember that day, and we had a lot of our students.
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It was graduation day, or the next day was graduation?
00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:02.240
Uh it was definitely around the day, yeah.
00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:02.800
Yeah.
00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:05.120
And I know a lot of our students were affected by it.
00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:08.719
Nurse Wade Wilson, can you um what was your experience that day?
00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:14.719
So uh on that day, I didn't happen to be here, but I heard about it.
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I know a lot of our families were affected by it.
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I know that our graduation was that evening on our Valley Victorian's house uh was destroyed uh in that.
00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:28.639
And uh he was delayed on getting here, he and his family, but they did make it.
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Uh, this um preparedness this year, I think, was great that you went to the middle school, the elementary and middle schools, because a lot of those kids now, when they have storms, uh I have been told by our nurses that they get nervous, uh wondering if that's gonna happen again.
00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:56.319
So for them to have a safety plan and know exactly kind of what to do and not get really anxious is wonderful to have Pedro have come to that building to do that.
00:03:56.479 --> 00:03:59.039
So it impacted our our schools a lot.
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Uh we helped a lot of families in that.
00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:11.599
Um, our director of student support set up food banks for them to come and get uh food items and personal hygiene items and things like that for that day.
00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:13.439
Brandon, let's turn to you.
00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:21.920
Um, what was your experience and how would I know if you had any preparedness before that, or how would how'd you handle that situation and your friends too?
00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:34.720
So uh I was actually doing a mediation, I think, around this time with me and my friends just doing my training, and we were all fairly nervous about the tornado because I think it said it was kind of close to the school.
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So I'm like, oh man, but personally I have friends who got affected by it, like, you know, they schools, some people's houses got torn down.
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I have family and family friends who got their houses torn down.
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And I see a lot of historic landmarks and just places everywhere close to my place at that that got knocked down.
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So we was trying to help as much as we could.
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Me and another family friend of mine.
00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:10.959
We was going around uh seeing if people need full resources like water, uh, what we can do to do to help them with FEMA and all these sorts of things.
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And I have a lunch lady downstairs, her name is Lynette Lynn.
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Uh she be talking to me about it all the time, her process.
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Um, her house unfortunately got knocked down, her and her mother's.
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And they have a program where you know the person, he put them in a hotel until he got replacement for you know the damages and whatnot.
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So he helped move their clothes, get them food.
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He just, you know, benefited them.
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And you know.
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Okay, okay.
00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:44.639
I lost my chain of thought.
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Well, let's chime in there, like with the Red Cross.
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How can they help in these situations, especially preparing students for his involvement?
00:05:53.360 --> 00:06:04.240
Yeah, so we actually have a Red Cross Club that we do um across high schools in the area, and um, one of the things that we do is we have volunteer opportunities.
00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:13.680
Honestly, 90% of our workforce at the Red Cross are volunteers, and our youth volunteers are our largest population in helping us achieve our mission.
00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:18.879
And so there are wonderful ways with the Red Cross Club that you can be involved.
00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:21.920
Um, we have something that's called a disaster action team.
00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:31.360
If people don't know, the number one disaster that we respond to every day are home fires, but um, we give them, you know, training, lots of training to go out to be able to assist their neighbors.
00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:32.079
That's our model.
00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:40.000
We want neighbors to help neighbors and communities because that's the only way that we can keep up with the ever going disasters that are coming our way.
00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:43.439
And so um, in the event of a tornado, the same thing.
00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:44.879
You can go out into community.
00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:56.560
We did food, feeding, um, we provided shelter for all of um the families that were impacted, and we provided um resources and individual and financial assistance for families that were impacted.
00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:57.920
Yeah, that's huge.
00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:02.240
Um switching gears a little bit, you also have blood drives.
00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:02.800
Yes.
00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:08.079
So how does that, you know, feed into the school system and your partnership?
00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:08.800
Right.
00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:16.160
So, you know, all the only three percent of the population that are eligible to donate blood actually give.
00:07:16.560 --> 00:07:18.639
And so that's a small amount of number.
00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:29.279
And we know that you know, we need blood for trauma injuries, car accidents, cancer, um, for all sorts of diseases, and specifically for sickle cell.
00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:44.000
That's the number one um opportunity that we can use for high schools because um people with sickle cell, they they they have to receive a number of um transfusions, and it's really important to have a genetic match.
00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:53.759
So we are trying to increase the number of African American donors and Hispanic American donors because they are more likely to develop sickle cell.
00:07:54.079 --> 00:08:02.160
And so um it is really critical that we get the word out to share and educate the importance of why blood is needed.
00:08:02.240 --> 00:08:06.560
I don't think people know that, you know, that they can reject certain types of blood.
00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:10.319
And so it's really important that we have more close-up and match to them.
00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:21.920
And so we're we're educating, we're increasing our blood drives in more diverse communities, and I think we just have to talk about the stigma a little bit more because people are afraid of needles.
00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:23.279
They're afraid of it.
00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:32.240
And so um we we need people, a school body and collective young people to start giving at an early age so that when they get older that they'll give automatically.
00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:34.399
And honestly, it wasn't that bad doing it.
00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:44.240
I was doing it to help, you know, my community just in whatever way I can, whether it's got to do with sickness or injury, whatever, whatever the case may be, I just did it just to help out.
00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:47.840
So going into it, it didn't, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was.
00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:53.440
Like obviously, I'm one of those people who don't particularly like needles, but it didn't, it didn't really hurt too bad.
00:08:53.679 --> 00:08:56.480
The service, you know, it was pretty good.
00:08:56.639 --> 00:09:01.120
Everybody was nice, polite, walking me through everything, making sure I'm comfortable and whatnot.
00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:04.960
And the process itself, it didn't really, you know, affect me.
00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:10.480
They took, you know, a nice little amount of blood, but it was worth it though, definitely.
00:09:10.559 --> 00:09:19.519
I think people, especially a student, if you're looking to help your community in any s way, shape, or form, you should do the blood drive.
00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:24.720
I mean, see, and that's huge having a student who can say, look, it's not as bad as you think.
00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:30.720
Because I know Nurse Wade Wilson, you have a struggle kind of getting we do, don't we have blood drives, right?
00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:32.080
We have a couple a year.
00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:32.960
Yes.
00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:38.399
Um, previously we've had for the past 10 years, we've had at least one blood drive.
00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:40.159
Um, mainly in the fall.
00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:41.279
This was a spring one.
00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:46.480
A lot of spring ones we have to um cancel, but we did not do that one this year.
00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:48.480
Uh, we got more kids motivated.
00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:55.759
Brandon was one of the first ones to come and sign up uh when the Blood Cross representative came to come.
00:09:55.919 --> 00:10:03.519
And he had he knew the importance of it, just asking questions about it and getting through his phobia of needles, but he did good.
00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:12.480
Um a lot of kids have to get through that phobia, and you have to tell them, yeah, it's an initial needle, but then there's a catheter that goes in afterwards, and that's how they collect your blood.
00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:17.759
Um, and it's particularly important to us because we have sickle cell students here.
00:10:17.919 --> 00:10:20.320
So they have a sickle cell fighter program.
00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:27.679
Uh, we have adults here who don't who donate on a regular basis, uh, and they're with the sickle cell fighter program.
00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:34.480
And um to give those that blood to the kids who need those transfusions, they get them once a month.
00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:44.480
Uh, I've been here for 15 years, and for all those 15 years, I've had at least one sickle cell, up to three in my building, and they get transfusions.
00:10:44.559 --> 00:11:04.399
They have a lot going on with them, and um, a lot of the kids don't understand exactly what sickle cell is, but these kids do, and they are really grateful to know that there's someone out there, someone their age, who understands what they're going through, who's willing to give that blood that they're able to get on a monthly basis.
00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:05.519
Yep, exactly.
00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:05.919
Right?
00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:17.279
And I'm just thinking programs like this, so our listeners will have some information at the back end where they can find information to reach out, contribute, and all that, but maybe like a promo, you know, part of your curriculum.
00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:22.879
I you know you have curriculum for this, but it's geared towards the younger, and then the older students can volunteer.
00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:23.519
Right.
00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:26.080
We we even have a program for blood as well.
00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:37.360
The one we have for preparedness, we have youth education programs for blood and that we can come into the schools to help them get understanding about what it is to get blood so they're not so afraid when they get older.
00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:40.559
And so it it is really good to understand.
00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:46.159
And also, like I said, in in terms of volunteering, there's so many opportunities for you to engage.
00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:58.159
We at a blood drive, we have what we called ambassadors, and so they can serve as an ambassador at a blood drive just to get people registered and coming in and giving them information that they need ahead of time.
00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:12.320
We can get the word out about how important it is to hydrate and how important it is to ensure that you know you're eating the appropriate amount of food before you give and donate blood because they will test you prior to the blood drive.
00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:15.919
And if you're unable to give, then you have to pass for that day.
00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:18.240
But that that education is crucial and it's huge.
00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:35.360
And so our Red Cross Um Club ambassadors can do a great job at ensuring that all of the programs that we have to have offer, whether it's disaster or even, you know, we have an international humanitarian law program that we do for education around that.
00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:37.600
And so um yes, it's critical.
00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:46.320
And it's also great for them, if I can uh add that if you get so many pints of blood, the school is given money for a scholarship for those students.
00:12:46.559 --> 00:13:04.320
So those students, if you get at least 30, and that's not a lot of pints of blood when you have a school with that has 400 or more people, um, the age of 16 with parental consent, 17 without, um, and if you get 30 pints, then they can get a scholarship,$500.
00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:10.639
You choose to give your senior, the school chooses to give that senior that uh scholarship money.
00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:13.360
That helps, any little bit helps when you're going to school.
00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:20.320
And our seniors, we had a couple who are going to get cords for their cap and gowns, which is exciting to them.
00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:24.240
You know, you have a cord to add on there that you're a volunteer for the Red Cross.
00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:29.440
Brandon will get one, of course, when he's a senior, uh, because I'm sure he's going to participate next year.
00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:33.200
Volunteer, you already and recruit others too.
00:13:34.159 --> 00:13:35.519
Yes, and recruit others for it.
00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:45.279
Do you think people tend to not sign up just because they don't know, like particularly what they're donating their blood to, or do you think it's more towards the needle phobia?
00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:46.320
Great question.
00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:49.519
I think a lot of it is a needle phobia.
00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:59.039
Also, they don't know that they need to give, and they don't know, like, for example, we have to do seven to eleven blood drives per day just to keep up with the hospital demands.
00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:00.399
Most people don't know that.
00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:05.120
And they don't know that the Red Cross provides over 40% of the nation's blood supply.
00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:07.200
So it's really important to give.
00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:12.480
And so the more that we're educating people on the need, I think that would increase our numbers.
00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:13.120
Okay.
00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:14.320
I was just about to ask.
00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:20.000
So what's a good way do you think you can get more students to get drawn in and to donate in blood?
00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:32.720
Like when y'all do these type of jobs and come to other schools and whatnot, especially for like the younger kids, because I know you know the older you get, I mean you may still have that phobia, but it's not as bad compared to if you're someone like in the middle of elementary school.
00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:46.159
Yeah, I think just going through those things, especially in high school, if we do the youth education program where we talk about blood at an elementary school, and so they anticipate that when they get older that they can actually give blood, that's key.
00:14:46.639 --> 00:15:02.159
And so when they turn 16 and they're able to donate, having um a Red Cross youth club, I think is helpful because you're volunteering running all the programs in word of mouth from students, from their own peers about the importance of giving Bora blood really matters.
00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:15.279
And um, once we continually start coming back to do the blood drives, people will see that it's not like your testimony that it's not so bad, that you might have been apprehensive before, but that you did it and you're happy to do so.
00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:15.759
Yes, right.
00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:16.720
And you're excited about it.
00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:19.679
Like you're looking, can't wait till I'm 16 and I can donate, you know.
00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:20.399
It's one of those.
00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:31.279
You know, just to add this, you know, they provide, like I said, they got good service, but they do give you uh snacks, water and afterwards and everything and talk to you about that.
00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:33.360
And it helps being an athlete too.
00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:36.559
He, you know, he was healthy before, you know, hand and everything.
00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:37.840
He did great with his.
00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:39.519
I didn't have any issues.
00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:46.320
Well, I think that's a good point, too, is that this could help motivate students for a career in the health industries.
00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:47.919
No, I mean Yes.
00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:52.639
Um our philipotomists are there and day in, day out in the healthcare field.
00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:57.440
Um, we have an entire biomed team, and we have a actually a lab.
00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:08.080
Um, in our lab, um, really we have on one side of the lab is where they're doing all the testing, and just to be able to see the testing, we do give tours of our lab so they can understand it.
00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:23.200
And then we have the other part of the lab where they're actually processing the blood, um removing the plasma, and you're seeing that process, and then there's a whole research division that focuses on sickle cell, and they talk about what they do with the sickle cell and the research regarding that.
00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:27.679
So um I there I think there's a lot of ways just to engage and to educate.
00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:31.840
Huge educational piece that I don't think most people think of when you hear Red Cross.
00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:32.480
Yes.
00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:32.879
No.
00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:33.519
Yeah.
00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:44.480
The behind the scenes type thing, you know, like you said, the biomed, the lab technicians, the phlebotomists, the nurse who's nurses who are out, the lab techs who are actually running the blood.
00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:48.480
So those are a lot of healthcare careers, and just not nursing, you know.
00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:49.519
Right, yeah, exactly.
00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:52.080
Which is great.
00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:57.039
So education, communication, um, what excites you about the future?
00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:08.720
I think for me, um, we the community mobilization piece for us, um, we're shifting how we operate and do our programming, not what we do, but the how.
00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:18.000
And we know that we need people from community to really help drive um not only the education, but um our service in helping one another.
00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:51.359
And um I I think that the more we integrate within um different aspects of community, and we have 19 counties in Missouri and Illinois, so we have a big area, but the more um we people get people engaged within our mission and wanting to help, I think that's what excites me the most because I can see um when just even with a home on fire response, um when people feel empowered to help their neighbor, um they feel like they're contributing more, not only to a greater mission, but to their community.
00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:53.440
And that's what excites me the most.
00:17:53.680 --> 00:17:54.079
Absolutely.
00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:55.519
And we have a community in school.
00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:58.400
What excites you about this conversation?
00:17:58.720 --> 00:18:13.599
It excites me that uh the scholarship portion of it for the students, um, helping our students who have sickle cell, who have the medical conditions, uh, getting our students more engaged and understanding why they should give.
00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:17.759
Uh, and not the, you know, oh, it's gonna hurt, it's a needle.
00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:25.200
But okay, when I give this, I'm I'm becoming a leader in my community, you know, like Brandon is one of our leaders.
00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:27.519
Hopefully, we'll get him involved in the club.
00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:28.880
Leaders save lives.
00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:31.519
They have that program within the Red Cross.
00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:37.440
Um, and like he wants to bring, he did it this year, and he brought on some of your people to come on.
00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:41.519
He brought some of his uh fellow athletes on to also do it.
00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:46.319
You know, he I did it, and they were coming to ask me to call their parents, and they were 16.
00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:56.559
Um, yeah, and it was like I was trying to call parents, and sometimes we have to convince the parents, you know, because they have a stigma too about the giving of the blood.
00:18:56.720 --> 00:19:05.519
So when the kids get involved at that young age, elementary school, then when, like you said, they get into high school and they're like, I want to do this, mom, I want to do this.
00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:11.599
Because I did have parents to say, eh, you know, they're gonna give blood, they may be sick, well no, and I had to talk to them.
00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:14.559
And then the students said, I really want to do this.
00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:15.680
And they did it.
00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:18.319
They said, Okay, it's okay, I'm gonna go ahead and sign the form.
00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:25.039
So I'm excited about that, just and getting more blood, helping out the community more, more so.
00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:34.799
And even our Hispanic population, we did have a couple who um signed up for to give blood through that population.
00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:46.160
And um, I like that they have the diversity of having the Spanish speaking or it's the Spanish uh consent forms and information in Spanish as well.
00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:55.599
Um, so that that really helped out to see them give it, and more of them wanted to, but I couldn't get a lot of um the parents to agree.
00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:57.119
Yeah, but maybe next year.
00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:58.559
Right, or when they're older.
00:19:58.720 --> 00:19:59.839
And definitely yeah.
00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:00.960
Did you want to comment?
00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:01.359
Go ahead.
00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:04.799
I think one cool thing too is a useful tool that we have.
00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:09.119
We have apps, several apps, but we do have the blood donor app.
00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:12.559
And so you can see exactly where your blood is going.
00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:23.920
And so I think just having that tool and I think bringing it home to the parents to help educate them to let them know, like, look, I gave blood, this is where my blood went.
00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:30.000
Okay, and so it's just that continued conversation, and then it lets you know when you're eligible to donate again.
00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:34.160
And so even though you donated here at your school, you may do it once a year.
00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:36.960
You can see all the other ways and opportunities for you to donate.
00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:51.440
You're right about that, because we have a staff member who gives on a regular basis, and she's been giving since she was a teenager because she had a friend who had sickle cell in school, and um he he was getting transfusion, so she continued to give.
00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:57.119
And she told me last week, she said, Hey, my blood went to someone here at Bournemouth High School.
00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:00.640
Yes, I I that was a component when you said that.
00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:06.960
She said, It normally goes someplace else, but it makes me feel good that I gave here for a change in my community.
00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:13.839
I mean, what I'm hearing, I'm hearing communication, education, community, culture, leadership, right?
00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:17.839
I mean, and Brandon, I mean, maybe you want to take on this role.
00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:23.839
No, it definitely wouldn't be bad, especially just to add on to what I'm trying to do for my future.
00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:30.079
Um, it definitely helps impact myself as to how to be a better leader and how I can better help my community as it is.
00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:37.599
So being able to know that my blood is going somewhere, you know, beneficial and that's gonna help somebody, it kind of does.
00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:39.359
It empowers me.
00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:41.599
It makes me want to come back and do it.
00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:44.240
It makes me feel good about myself.
00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:46.640
Absolutely, and like a civic duty.
00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:50.880
Well, does anyone have anything to add to conclude or anything we missed talking about?
00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:54.480
I am curious, like what's the process elimination factor?
00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:59.119
Like when you do donate blood, like how do you how am I trying to explain?
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.640
Not eligible.
00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:05.759
How are you like what makes you eligible to go to a certain person or not eligible to go to a certain person?
00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:16.000
Well, there are a couple of things for the testing and um or aspect, you need to if you have high blood pressure that day, you're not eligible to get blood.
00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:22.079
If you're taking certain medications like um blood thinners, um you're not eligible to donate.
00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:33.440
And certain other heart medications, because you want to make sure that a your blood they'll test on the other side, but you want to make sure that you're healthy yourself so that when you're giving blood, it doesn't harm you as a person.
00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:40.880
Um once we get to the testing lab, if you have certain diseases, then your blood is ineligible to give.
00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:46.720
And so they're they have to ensure that the blood that they're giving to the individual does not harm them.
00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:54.559
And so those are some factors that will um not qualify a person's blood for being given to someone.
00:22:54.960 --> 00:23:03.039
And so they will contact you though, too, if your blood is not for whatever reason, if they detect something in our lab, you receive a notification.
00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:06.400
But also at our high school level, weight, age, right?
00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:07.680
Those surface.
00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:15.599
And sometimes piercings, you know, tattoos that you had, where you had them within the amount of time that you've had them.
00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:21.759
So uh we may get a lot of kids to sign up, but it's important to know that that comes with education.
00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:22.160
Right.
00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:30.319
You know, if you've had a tattoo within the last couple weeks and where that was given at, that maybe you won't be able to donate blood this time.
00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:31.759
But don't give up.
00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:39.200
Just know that okay, you have this certain period of time, and if you can kind of wait in order to do that, that would be good.
00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:41.759
And also, students, you know, still sign up.
00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:44.319
If you're listening to the podcast, still sign up, you know.
00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:46.960
Let them say, hey, maybe next time, right?
00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:48.160
Yes, absolutely.
00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:49.599
I tell people that all the time.
00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:50.400
Yep.
00:23:50.799 --> 00:23:51.200
All right.
00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:53.119
Uh, anything else to add?
00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:59.680
That is huge education, and for our listeners, um, we will provide a lot of this information as show notes, which actually let's start there.
00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:05.440
Is there a way to reach out to you for if another school wants to start a program or students want to volunteer?
00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:14.720
We always encourage people to go to our website and it's www.redcross.org or um 1-800 Red Cross.
00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:15.680
Um that's easy.
00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:16.880
It's a number to remember.
00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:18.880
So just down 1-800 Red Cross.
00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:24.720
You can get directed to where you need to go and um get plugged into um saving lives.
00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:25.279
Great.
00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:26.559
Anything to add?
00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:27.680
No?
00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:34.960
Well, I like that they have at the Rare Cross Online too the programs at a glance, high school programs at a glance.
00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:45.680
Um, they're the high high school scholarship program, the sickle cell fighter high school program, the community club program that you talked about, and leaders save lives program.
00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:48.640
So these are all the programs for high schoolers.
00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:56.799
Um, if they, anyone listening, want to contact me here at Confluence Preparatory Academy, um Debbie Wade Wilson, I'm the school nurse here.
00:24:56.960 --> 00:25:08.400
Please feel to re reach out to me and I can give you information on how to better do it and to download those apps uh that you were talking about, like Richard was talking about, so we can get them started on that.
00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:09.599
Fantastic.
00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:12.079
Oh, actually, we got one more question.
00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:15.200
Okay, because I know students like me are curious about this.
00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:20.319
Yeah, so um when we do donate blood, I did want to know blood, my blood type.
00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:25.279
Can we like can y'all like somewhere hit me back as to they will?
00:25:25.359 --> 00:25:29.119
They'll send you a card in the mail and they'll let you know what your blood type is.
00:25:29.359 --> 00:25:29.839
All right, yeah.
00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:33.200
And I was wondering if they still did the card because that's back when I was in high school.
00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:35.680
But now with the app, I figured it might just be in the app.
00:25:35.920 --> 00:25:36.640
Like when you register.
00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:41.599
So I got my card and in the mail um after giving.
00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:48.799
And so um I think that's useful because you can carry it around, and so people will see what your blood type is in case something may happen.
00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:50.640
Well, it's very important for you to know your blood type.
00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:52.000
It is very definitely.
00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:55.279
Is there like a estimated time as to how long it might take?
00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:56.880
Like maybe like two to three weeks, something like that.
00:25:57.119 --> 00:26:04.640
It's probably three to four weeks, two to three weeks within that time frame because they're they're processing the blood, and so it takes a little bit of time, but you'll get it in the mail.
00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:05.359
Gotcha.
00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:05.599
Okay.
00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:06.079
That's awesome.
00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:08.880
Well, to all our guests, thank you everyone for being here.
00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:12.240
This was huge, educational, and um, I loved having you.
00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:13.279
Great conversation.
00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:18.000
We need to continue it and continue the education in the schools and the partnerships that we have.
00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:18.960
Thank you so much.
00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:20.480
I'm thanks for having us here.
00:26:20.640 --> 00:26:28.880
And I enjoyed working with you to get our blood drive in um together and also just to make sure kids are educated about preparedness for emergencies.
00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:29.759
Absolutely.
00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:36.160
And to all our listeners, thank you for listening and joining us for another episode of Confluence Conversations.
00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:46.640
Be sure to follow, share, and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcast so you never miss a conversation about the partnerships and programs shaping student success across Confluence Academies.
00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:47.599
Have a great day.
