The cafeteria at Newtown Middle School was transformed on Wednesday, November 9, to accommodate the 8-Purple Cluster's American Red Cross Blood Drive, which ran from 1:30 to 6:30 pm.redcrossblood.org

According to an announcement from the school, blood donations are normally down for the American Red Cross during the holiday season, and the event was scheduled to help fill the need.

At the start of the drive, six people were already waiting to give donations. The 8-Purple Cluster teachers - Danelle Egan, Andrew San Angelo, Jennifer Hayducky, and Megan Carroll - oversaw the event, with Ms Egan coordinating it. Other school staff also helped.

Following the blood drive, Ms Egan said more people attended the event than expected, with each time slot filled and with walk-ins dropping by throughout the drive. She also said 44 pints of blood were donated to the American Red Cross.

Mr San Angelo said, as people signed up to make donations, roughly half of the students in the cluster helped support the event in some way, either volunteering before the event or at the drive. Ms Egan said students helped by baking goods to offer at the event, by helping to spread publicity, or by volunteering at the drive.

Students Anatoli Chatzikonstantinou and Grace Eurell were helping to welcome people as they arrived at the start of the event.

"I like the sense of knowing I am helping people who are giving to people in need," said Anatoli.

Grace said it feels good to help people, "and [to] know that I am helping to better the community."

.Additional information about donating blood though the American Red Cross is available at