Riverview Students Noted for 'Biggest Impact in This Country'

The Riverview High School cafeteria was packed with cheering students who along with their teachers and principal marked a milestone achievement among schools nationwide in the cause of blood donations.

"Riverview High School has been recognized as having the biggest impact in this country" with this "School Blood Drive Award," said Mike Pratt of oneblood.org. "It's just amazing, it is a big deal."

High praise was given, too, to Riverview High School Principal Robert Heilmann, who for years has heralded the cause of blood donations.

"It's a celebration of life and I want you to remember that," he told the teachers and students in attendance. "It's a culture of giving that I want you to take with you."

Helimann made his remarks after the audience viewed a video that showed the Riverview spirit in action.

• See Video of Riverview High's Latest Blood Drive

Renee Gandy attend the celebration with her son, Joshua, who received a cake from the Riverview High School community. Hundreds of students sang "Happy Birthday" to him after his mother talked about her 11-year-old son's reliance on donors for the multiple blood transfusions he needed to fight leukemia.

"When I was in high school, which was a long, long time ago,I thought that when you donated blood it went to victims of serious accidents, people that were having surgeries," she said. "And I never dreamed that one day I would need donors like you to help save my son’s life."

Joshua Gandy spoke as well.

"Today is my eleventh birthday and I thank you guys so much for donating blood to kids like me so they can see another birthday," he said.

Pratt gave high praise as well to Heilman, who was recognized for being an 8-gallon blood donor. "He just exudes leadership," Pratt said. "He's instilling a sense of community responsibility in these young people." 

According to Pratt, giving blood is a rite of passage. "As you grow up," he said, "you get a Social Security card, you get a library card, you get a driver's license, you get a blood donor card and you get a voter registration card."

Over the past five years, Riverview students, staff, participating alumni and parents have generously given a total of 7,011 blood donations during the 25 blood drives held on campus, according to a report from Florida Blood Services, a division of OneBlood Inc.

The blood drives are sponsored and promoted by members of the Student Government Association, under the leadership of Laura Hike, their faculty advisor. The blood drive committee recruits students to give blood, coordinates the flow of donors during the drives, and sponsors a cookout to feed all who donate.

"I'm so proud of them," Hike said about the Riverview High students, both blood drive organizers and donors. "They work hard for everything, and not just the blood drives."

Indeed, the Riverview Relay For Life this year alone has raised more than $100,000 in the fight against cancer. The overnight fundraiser for the American Cancer Society was held March 23-24.

• See On View at the 2013 Riverview Relay For Life

• See 'Team Heather' Stays Strong at Riverview Relay For Life

• See Cancer Fighters Ready for Bloomingdale Relay For Life, which includes team, participant and donation totals for the six Eastern Hillsborough County Relay events, including the one held at Riverview High.

The School Blood Drive Award is a competition run by America's Blood Centers, North America’s largest network of community-based, independent blood programs.The federation operates more than 600 blood donor centers providing half of the U.S., and a quarter of the Canadian blood supply.