The Wessex Wire The Student Newspaper of West Essex Regional High School
Vol. LVI No. 6
65 West Greenbrook Road, North Caldwell, N.J.
Wessex bleeds success at this year’s blood drive By Grace Irwin ’18
Students eagerly volunteered in the American Heart Association’s annual blood drive on April 26, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the West Gym. Donors each gave one pint of blood, which will go to hospital patients in need of blood transfusions. Exceeding the goal of 64 donors, 66 successful donations were made, helping over 198 patients. “This year proved to be the most successful one yet for the blood drive,” school nurse Ms. Frisch said, with 97 students volunteering. The group used up all of the supplies brought for the day’s work, turning away 15 volunteers and making for a busy morning. “We had nearly a hundred students walk in, which is way more than what we’ve had in previous years,” Ms. Frisch said. “It was excellent.” Anyone 16 or older that meets the weight requirement is a viable donor. “I’m a healthy person and if I can help people who are less healthy than me, why not?” said junior Zoe Stern, who was a donator. “One pint of blood is able to help up to three people and can save a life.” For most students, the entire process of drawing blood only lasted 5 to 10 minutes. However, PHOTO COURTESY OF MS. FRISCH for those of the rare blood type O, Anthony Agrifolio ’17 next to “Buddy”, the Blood Drive mascot. the universal donor, the process took 20 to 30 minutes. Because of this, the blood taken from type O donors, was separated into red lected, each blood bag is packaged up and sent off blood cells and plasma, looking a yellow color in its to a laboratory in Philadelphia, where the blood is designated bag. tested for different diseases. Once verified as clean, “When the plasma started leaving, my lips and the blood is sent to hospitals throughout New Jersey mouth felt really cold. It was kind of like in those and Philadelphia. gum commercials when they put the gum in their “It is important that the blood is checked and remouths and act surprised by the coolness,” senior checked for possible diseases or other components Danny Calix said. that could make it unusable. Our goal is to help When finished giving blood, donors were asked to patients, not hurt them,” Riel said. sit down on mats, eat snacks, and drink fluids to give The American Heart Association, founded in their bodies the chance to recover. Once they felt they 1924, includes up to 22.5 million donors and supwere ready to go on with the rest of their school day, porters to date. By conducting research, providing they were given a sticker to show they participated CPR training, educating lawyers and lawmakers, and in the drive and were sent back to their designated collecting blood, the AHA works to raise awareness classrooms to go on with the rest of their day. and lower the amount of deaths by heart disease According to Gabe Riel, an AHA employee since per year. According to their website’s homepage, by 2008, the group gets on average 10 donors a day on 2020, the organization hopes to lower the amount a normal schedule. After the day’s donations are col- of Americans with heart disease by 20 percent.
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TheWessexWire.com
June 2016
2016 academic titles move on to Ivy League Seniors Isabelle Caine and Tim Ruszala acheive the 2016 titles of valedictorian and salutatorian. By Melanie Montes ’18 Seniors Timothy Ruszala and Isabelle Caine became valedictorian and salutatorian for the 267 students of the 2016 graduating class due to their hard work, persistance and dedication. “I don’t think it’s that much more pressure than other students because everyone has stuff to deal with,” Ruszala said.“Having good grades is not everything.” Ruszala took four AP courses this year; Literature, Micro, Macro, Physics and French. In his downtime, Ruszala is involved in outside music groups and often looks to motivate himself on playing the bassoon in his free time. “You realize that all the classes you take, they get more interesting the more you know because you go in depth on the subject,” he said. He’s been acknowledged for his seasoned musical talent as a bassoonist and performs concertos with groups such as the local Ridgewood Concert Band. “I happen to do the right things. I happened to choose the bassoon which is an instrument that will get people into college because no one plays it. In a way I’m lucky but I don’t think it’s fair to say that only hard work allowed me to get into Princeton,” Ruszala said. Salutatorian Isabelle Caine said she doesn’t let academics take over her life. “Academics are important to me but not the most important,” she said. “I love spending time with friends and family, traveling and playing tennis.” Caine said she went through a massive swirl of emotions upon hearing she was salutatorian. “I felt incredibly shocked, proud and happy in knowing I gave high school my all,” she said. Caine admits that straight A’s don’t come easy. She works hard to keep her grades up to par: “School doesn’t come easily for me. I have really tough classes and I see some
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brilliant classmates getting A’s without breaking a sweat. I sweat,” she said. Ruszala’s English teacher Ms. Dunphy only had positive things to say. “I’m proud of him. I don’t think I saw a student deserve an Ivy league school as much as him in a while. He loves all of it and I think that’s what Princeton looks for,” Dunphy said. AP Literature teacher Ms. Macaluso described Caine as a hard worker. “I don’t think the word ‘slacker’ exists in Izzie’s vocabulary. Izzie is a lovely, personable, respectful young woman whom I admire tremendously,” Ms. Macaluso said. Information on the senior valedictorian and salutatorian, as Ms. Macaluso puts it, is “kept under lock and key” but she knew Ruszala and Caine would acquire the title. “I kind of had a feeling the final two were Tim and Izzie. They both have been so humble,” she said.
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