Yorba Linda High School has an incredibly large selection of clubs to join, but the YLHS Red Cross stands out from other clubs because of the amount of opportunities it can provide students with. Ranging from community service events to summer camps, each student can find a tight-knit community within Yorba Linda High School and Orange County.

The main event hosted by the YLHS Red Cross club is the school’s annual blood drive. During the blood drive, students have an opportunity to either donate blood or volunteer with running the blood drive. The importance of this event is that it helps alleviate the national blood shortage, and each student has a chance to either save up to three lives or earn community service hours.

In addition to the YLHS blood drive, the best way to get involved with the Red Cross is to participate in events held through Orange County Red Cross youth services. Every first Wednesday each month, OCRC will host a GIFT (Get Involved Forum for Teens) meeting. Here, students can learn more about all of the varying events held by the chapter while interacting with other like-minded students from across Orange County.

Some of the incredible service events held by OCRC include Sound the Alarm, Missing Maps, and the International Humanitarian Law Youth Action Campaign. When students attend Sound the Alarm, they will have the opportunity to go into low-income housing areas to help install smoke detectors. Missing Maps is a virtual event where students can help map different areas around the world to help people respond to disasters. The International Humanitarian Law (IHL)  Youth Action Campaign is where students will be educated on the rules of war, and then they will be able to educate others on the rules of (IHL).

When asked what the best Red Cross event is, most students involved with OCRC youth will agree that it is the GLOW Red leadership camp. This summer camp is held annually in Big Bear, and it allows students to form lasting friendships, develop as leaders, and further their passions for serving their community. By attending this camp, students get the opportunity to apply for county leadership positions that will help them to continue getting more involved with the Red Cross.

Red Cross is so much more than a way of earning service hours and another addition to a resume; it is a chance to be a part of an incredible community while making a meaningful impact in the community. According to vice president Tiana Salisbury (12) “Red Cross has been a way for me to meet some of my closest friends, inspire others, and help out my local community.”