Student blood donors honored

Monday, Oct. 9, 2000 | 9:54 a.m.

Clark County School District students have donated so much blood over the past five years that the district honored the achievement in a ceremony Thursday at Las Vegas High School.

In addition to the event celebrating students' participation, the district kicked off its fall series of blood drives at Las Vegas High.

Many area high schools will expand blood drives from one day to two to allow more students to participate with fewer class interruptions.

Local students have donated 20,000 units of blood since 1995. During the 1999-2000 school year 4,700 pints were donated by juniors and seniors. Last year there were more than 20,000 students eligible to give blood, school officials said.

In comparison, out of the more than 190,000 casino workers, 2,100 pints of blood were donated, according to statistics compiled by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Students who would like to give blood need to be at least 17, but do not need parent permission to participate.

More than half of the 1.4 million people who live in Southern Nevada are eligible to give blood, according to United Blood Services officials. Of those who can, 2.5 percent donate blood. The national average is 5 percent.