Davis Intermediate students tour the biomedical facilities at the Red Cross regional headquarters in Dallas. (Doyle Rader/American Red Cross)
By: Joshitha Yellapu
On May 12, 24 student council members from Davis Intermediate School in Wylie, Texas, visited the American Red Cross North Texas Regional Headquarters in Dallas for a hands-on introduction to the organization’s mission and disaster response work.
The students participated in a Red Cross Ready training session, observed a hands-only CPR demonstration and learned about the blood donation process. They also assembled pet emergency kits to be distributed by disaster responders to families with animals.
“What’s the result when you don’t follow through?” asked Laura Fulenwider, a social studies teacher, student council co-sponsor and former Red Cross youth volunteer. “Who is not being taken care of when we don’t fulfill our commitment?”
Fulenwider helped launch the partnership between Davis Intermediate and the Red Cross based on her own early experiences with volunteerism.
“There’s lots of heart and desire to be involved,” she said.
She worked closely with Dominica McCarthy, the regional volunteer services coordinator and a Davis Intermediate parent, to organize the event and give students a firsthand look at the Red Cross’s impact.
McCarthy described the visit as “an opportunity to talk about how nonprofits lean on their communities when needs aren’t fully met.”
Devaditya Ray, president of the Red Cross youth services executive board, gives a hands-only CPR demonstration to Davis Intermediate students. (Doyle Rader/American Red Cross)
Volunteers account for about 90% of the Red Cross workforce, making their contributions essential to disaster relief efforts.
Many of the students already have volunteer experience with local police and fire departments. Fulenwider said the event inspired them, and they are eager to start their own Red Cross Club on campus.
“It’s very cool for me to see that the school my son is going to is also instilling that spirit of service,” McCarthy said.
She underscored the value of engaging youth with the Red Cross mission before they are old enough to donate blood or volunteer independently.
Fulenwider and McCarthy are now working to expand the partnership, with goals to increase student involvement in local blood drives and other community-focused initiatives.
The visit served as a meaningful introduction to community service for the students and a powerful reminder of the Red Cross’s role in building resilient, compassionate communities.
“If we can get just 10% of these kids to give back when they’re older, it’s worth it,” Fulenwider said.
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