![Junior Alex Alkhal pitches the ball. “[I] just let it go and keep practicing so we can focus on our goal for the next game to get better as a team,” Alkhal said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/DSC_0013-1-1200x929.jpg)
![The Phoenix varsity volleyball team lines up for the national anthem. “We were more communicative [with each other] during this game, and I feel like we kept our energy up, especially after the first set,” senior Jessica Valdov said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0202-1200x800.jpg)
On Friday, April 25, the Rock Ridge Chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) hosted a blood drive in the library from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the help of staff from Inova Hospital. Led by project manager sophomore Sanvi Pulluri and sponsor Roxanna Cromwell, the club was able to set up beds for the students, snacks for after blood donation, and work with hospital staff to help the community in a unique way.
As part of her application to become the project manager for the drive, Pulluri had to submit a mock schedule and marketing plan to explain their vision for how the drive would be run. Potential project managers had to apply in October, but coordination for the event began with Cromwell and FBLA leadership reaching out to Inova before that.
Pulluri’s main focus prior to the event was spreading word to the community about the details of the blood drive through announcements in school and flyers posted in the halls. “[On the day of the event,] I had to come in the morning around 8:30 and help the Inova people set up,” Pulluri said. “Throughout the day, I stayed and helped check people in to make sure they knew what to do and that they filled out all the forms.”
Pulluri has always been very passionate about helping people in her community and found the blood drive to be another way to make a difference. “I think the overall event was pretty successful, but if I had to do it again, I would focus more on communicating with the community,” Pulluri said.
Students who wanted to donate blood had to be over 16. They had to pick up a permission form from Cromwell and have it signed by their parents, regardless of age.
Senior Sriya Reddipalli was one of the students who took part in donating. “I thought that it would be a good opportunity to give back to the community and I saw someone on a sign that donating a pint of blood can help up to three people,” Reddipalli said. “I saw the poster in the school and it said to pick up a permission form from Mrs. Cromwell.”
Reddipalli has an inside experience as someone who has never donated blood before. “I stupidly didn’t know I should have eaten before doing the drive,” Reddipalli said. “I had a bad experience with the fainting but I know now that if I had eaten I wouldn’t have gone through that.”
FBLA hopes to do the blood drive again in the future to help the community.
