The annual spring Red Cross blood drive is back. It’s on March 12 from 8:15 to 4 PM in the Multi-Purpose room in Building 10. Students can sign up in the Building 10 office or in Janet Watson’s room, 3-102.

Students who are 16 or younger need parent consent to give blood. Other restrictions are a weight and height restriction, if a student is 5’ 6” he or she needs to weigh at least 110 pounds. Also, if students have recently been sick or have recently been out of the country, they should not give blood.

“Not everyone has as many opportunities as others. Some people need the blood and don’t have it,” senior Brandon Caple said. “Everyone needs a chance and if I can help people by giving blood, I will.”

Two blood drives are held each school year, one in the fall and one in the spring. Fall drive is a competition between Benton and Bryant for students to compete to see who can get the most pints of blood. When students sign up in the spring, they are also signing up for a chance to win a $500 scholarship. All of the students names are entered and one is randomly picked.

“I come from a medical family and I just want to help people,” senior Lauren Smith said.

The club Swarm hosts the event. Club sponsor, Janet Watson, is in charge of both annual blood drives.

When students sign up, they are appointed a time schedule at 15-minute intervals. After the students check-in, they have to answer some health questions.

“At the last blood drive we had approximately 120 pints of blood,” Watson said. “This time, we decided to bump it up to 130, so that is our new goal.”