By Kate Walters, American Red Cross

WOODLAND PARK, Colo. — At Merit Academy, students are learning that compassion isn't just something you feel — it's something you practice.

Through a newly formed American Red Cross Club, students recently organized and hosted a community blood drive, bringing together local donors while gaining hands-on experience in service, leadership and real-world impact.

At the center of it all is a lesson that goes beyond the classroom.

"If you have all skill and no compassion, people will suffer. And if you have all compassion but no skill, people can die," said club advisor Jill Stabenow. "There has to be a balance — and that's what the American Red Cross and our Red Cross Club is about."

Stabenow, a registered nurse-turned-health sciences teacher, said the goal is to help students move beyond caring about others to knowing how to act on that care.

"It's about bringing 50% skill and 50% compassion and instilling that in students," she said.

Students spent months planning the drive, coordinating donors and tracking participation — turning what started as a club idea into a successful community event, the first blood drive held in Woodland Park following expansion of blood donation services into Colorado in 2024.

Along the way, classroom learning came to life.

"There are about 2 to 3 trillion blood cells in a single pint of blood," Stabenow said. "It's amazing — and my students latch onto those details. They remember it because they're not just reading it in a textbook— they’re seeing it in action."

For student Evolette Montgomery, that shift — from learning to doing — made the experience meaningful.

"I think it's a really cool opportunity for everyone to gain experience," Evolette said. "It's great that we were able to do this blood drive because we have enough people who want to donate to save lives."

The impact is already shaping what comes next for some students.

Evolette's mother, Horey Montgomery, said her daughter is now considering a career in healthcare.

"It has absolutely inspired her ... she's already looking at a nursing degree," she said. "She's even changing her classes to align with that path."

Programs like this don't just introduce students to service — they help connect compassion to purpose.

At the same time, they address a critical need.

"The biggest donors are typically an older population, which is great," said Jazmin Dunnet, a Red Cross phlebotomist. "But getting younger people involved now helps build future donors."

By engaging students early, the Merit Academy Red Cross Club is helping build both the next generation of healthcare professionals and lifelong blood donors.

Students aren't just organizing a single event — they're developing habits, skills and perspectives that can last well beyond high school.

Community members interested in donating blood can find a local drive at RedCrossBlood.org, use the Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) to schedule an appointment. Schools interested in starting a Red Cross Club can connect with their local Red Cross chapter to get started.

Because when compassion turns into action, it doesn't just shape students — it saves lives.