The number of blood drive participants drops as the administration makes changes affecting sign-ups.

The major change to this year’s blood drive stems from the administration’s decision to allow students to donate only if they have a study hall. By only allowing students to leave during study halls, it allows for less class time to be missed.

The timing of the drive has also been changed this year; last year it started at 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., compared to this year’s 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. This change in timing allows more non-students to donate.

“We made the decision because we really wanted to prioritize students’ time in class,” Principal Dr. Steiner said. “In the past, We’ve had students who misuse that time and stay out of class for longer than needed.”

The blood drive committee has expressed concerns about this decision, as it affects the sign-ups for the drive, as students are less willing to give up a study hall. This is reflected in the lower number of sign-ups: as of the time of writing, there were only 56 sign-ups as compared to last year’s 73 sign-ups.

“Students should be able to use proper judgment to make decisions that align with their academic goals while still serving the community,” Blood Drive Committee Co-chair Ethan Weiss said. “This change will likely impact the number of participants than in prior years.”

To sign up, you must be at least 16 years old. If you are 16 years old, you are required to fill out a consent form, and if you are 17 or 18, your parents need to fill out this permission form.

The Blood Drive will take place on Monday, November 10th, behind the gym bleachers, from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Nevertheless, if you want to give blood and help those in need, and have a study hall, sign up here.