REDHAWK TIMES
RT October 2014 Vol. III, No. 1
HOSA’s fall blood drive nets record number of donations
WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL Blythewood, South Carolina
News from around the world
By Stephanie Seabrooks, RT Staff The world has been buzzing about a terrorist group in the Middle East called ISIS or Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The group has captured and beheaded two American journalists, a British aid worker and thousands of civilians in the past few months alone. Egypt's most influential cleric Grand Mufti Shawqi Allam described ISIS as "an extremist and bloody group that poses a danger to Islam and Muslims." The U.S. led airstrikes against the terrorist organization Sept. 22, aiming at ISIS supplies and trucks, according to CNN. Huge swathes of California are on fire. As of Sept. 23, the King fire burning 50 miles east of Sacramento, covered 89,574 acres and was only 35 percent contained, according to The Washington Post. The true identify of Jack the Ripper has been a mystery for over two centuries but new evidence has been uncovered that could give us the identity of a serial murderer. In an interview published in London’s Daily Mail, author Russell Edwards claimed that Aaron Kosminski, a 23-year old Polish hairdresser was behind the killing spree in London’s East End ghettos in 1888. As proof, Edwards divulged how he used DNA testing from a shawl that belonged to one of the victims, which contained both the blood of the victim and their killer. In September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that, in a worst-case scenario, there could be 1.4 million Ebola cases in Liberia and Sierra Leone by the end of January if scientists and doctors can’t get it under control, according to USA Today. About 70 percent of patients are dying from the disease. A third American aid worker who contracted Ebola in Africa and came back to the U.S. for treatment was released from the hospital. A fourth remains hospitalized at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.
Twice a year, HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) hosts a blood drive, raising awareness of the need to give while also collecting life-saving pints of blood for our community. During the fall blood drive, 108 students and faculty members came to donate. While some were deferred for medical or other reasons, others donated one or two pints bringing out total up to 83 pints of blood donated, topping our initial goal of 79. Approximately 240 people will be helped through the generosity of our donors. Photo Credit: Ryann Felder
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge sweeps nation Millions raised for research to find disease’s cure By Angel Salley, Journalism I
If you haven’t heard by now, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has been (both literally and metaphorically) flooding the nation. People from all over the country and world have taken part, raising awareness for a disease known as ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) or “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”. The illness is named after baseball player Lou Gehrig, who was diagnosed in the 1930’s. ALS causes damage to motor neurons found in the brain and spinal cord, causing them to lose nutrients and become, over time, too weak for use. Credit for getting the challenge started go to Pete Frates, a former baseball player for Boston College who suffers from the disease himself. The rules of this challenge are: Once nominated, you have 24 hours to complete the challenge. If you choose to take the challenge, do not forget to donate $10 to the ALS Association, too. But, should you fail to complete the task, it’s time to pay up! Donate $100 to the ALS Association. So far, more than 15.6 million dollars have been raised and donated to research for Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Rihanna and even President Barack Obama took on the challenge. Principal Ralph Schmidt, the volleyball and football teams, and many other Redhawks participated in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge over the past few months. Sophomores Countess Collaro and Kristian Wright both agreed that the challenge is going toward a good cause. Wright said, “It was fun, and I would do it all again if I knew it was [going] to help people.” When Superintendent Debbie Hamm challenged every principal in Richland Two in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, Principal Ralph Schmidt accepted. On a hot summer day during the teacher work week, Schmidt donned shorts and his Redhawks tee and prepared to be doused by Coach Rodney Summers and Rowdy while the entire staff and student government cheered him on. Schmidt then challenged the WHS Family to participate. Photo Credit: Katie McCarthy