By Zahid Salam and Gregory Crawford The Diagnostic
Benjamin Carson High School, students are getting involved with the American Red Cross.
The American Red Cross is well-known for its emergency assistance and disaster relief as well as their quick response in the face of many disasters, such as the tsunami that hit the coast of Japan in 2011 and the earthquake that hit Nepal in 2015. The members of BCHS’ Red Cross Club aim to spread awareness locally on topics such as fire safety and basic CPR, but have also organized many events to raise money and collect blood for those in need.
Suma Taher and Nyah Kidd, BCHS juniors and the Red Cross Club president and vice president respectively, look for new and inventive ways to raise money and awareness.
“Our goal is to fundamentally follow the official Red Cross mission which is to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors,” Taher said.
The members of BCHS’ Red Cross Club have certainly stayed true to that mantra, raising nearly $200 for Nepal and collecting 22 pints of blood from donors in last year’s efforts alone.
This year, the club takes a new preventative approach toward local disasters by aiming to spread awareness for fire safety while still organizing the occasional fundraiser. The club aims to reach out to neighboring schools and give talks about fire safety measures in an effort to curb the rate of local fire incidents.
The members would also like to be certified for CPR, however the main goal of the Red Cross Club is to organize several blood drives with help from American Red Cross and the donors, including parents, teachers and students at BCHS.
The Red Cross Club is the start of something new at BCHS and showcases the desire for students to get active in their community and in their school.
“I plan for the BCHS Red Cross Club to continue to help the school and the community,” says Nyah Kidd.
