Wyatt Ludemann, of Tecumseh, Nebraska, and Paxton Mitties, of North Bend, Nebraska helped save lives by hosting American Red Cross blood drives and earned scholarships for their work and leadership.
As part of the Red Cross Leaders Save Lives program, the students each hosted a blood drive over the summer. Mitties' drive collected 71 blood donations. Ludemann's drive collected 30 blood donations. As a result, both students were eligible to be entered into a drawing for a scholarship and were chosen as winners.
“The financial burden of paying for college is a big obstacle for me,” said Ludemann. “I am grateful for this scholarship to help lessen the burden.”
Ludemann, who plans to become a precision agricultural specialist, learned valuable skills in communication, social media and maintaining a positive attitude when planning and executing the successful blood drive.
“I decided to host a Leaders Save Lives blood drive because every drive matters,” said Mitties. “My parents always donated, and I began donating when I turned 16.”
Mitties plans to study physical therapy in college and was surprised to learn she had won the Red Cross scholarship.
“I was beyond astonished, and I couldn't wait to tell my parents,” said Mitties. She added, “I will forever be thankful to the Red Cross, and I can’t wait to continue donating throughout my life.”
The Leaders Save Lives program encourages community-minded high school and college students to host blood drives to help maintain the blood supply for patients in need of lifesaving transfusions.
Students can sign up to host Leaders Save Lives blood drives during seasonal timeframes throughout the year. For more information, visit RedCrossBlood.org/LeadersSaveLives.