Red Cross testing blood donations for COVID-19 antibodies

The American Red Cross is now testing all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies, according to a news release.

Upcoming blood drives in this area will be at Cabelas, 10300 Cabela Drive, Kansas City, Kansas, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 24.

There continues to be an urgent need for blood donations as hospitals have resumed surgeries and treatments that require blood products, according to a Red Cross spokesman.

Donors now can learn whether they have been exposed to COVID-19. Antibody testing will show if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to this coronavirus, regardless of whether they developed symptoms, according to the news release.

Donations will be tested using samples pulled at the time of donation and sent to a testing laboratory where they will also undergo routine infectious disease testing, the spokesman stated. A positive antibody test result does not confirm infection or immunity, according to the Red Cross.

COVID-19 antibody test results will be available within 7-10 days in the Red Cross Blood Donor App or donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org. The test has been authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“As an organization dedicated to helping others, the Red Cross is pleased to provide more information about COVID-19 to our valued donors,” said Dr. Erin Goodhue, executive medical director of direct patient care with the Red Cross Biomedical Services. “If you are feeling healthy and well, please schedule an appointment to not only help saves lives but also learn about your potential exposure to COVID-19.”

The Red Cross is not testing donors to diagnose illness, referred to as a diagnostic test.

Donation appointments can be made by downloading the free Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

Thanks to Amazon, all those who come to give June 1-30 will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email, according to the Red Cross.

Other blood drives are scheduled in Johnson County and in Kansas City, Missouri. To see a list of other sites where blood may be donated, visit RedCrossBlood.org.

Several KCK students on dean’s list at Avila

Several Kansas City, Kansas, students have been named to the dean’s list at Avila University, Kansas City, Missouri.

Students on the dean’s list have at least a 3.5 grade point average for the semester, in at least 12 credit hours. Avila University, a Catholic university founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, includes studies in the liberal arts and professions.

Students from Kansas City, Kansas, who were named to the dean’s list included:

• Victoria Aguilar
• Itzel Almanza
• Stephanie Basurto
• Alexis Burgard
• Diana Cordova-Duran
• Kimberly Howlett
• Kalyn Mccune
• Karen Palomar
• Demarquice Phillips
• Lexus Tucker
• Dorian Williams

KCK schools receive $45 million more in scholarships for senior class

New data released by the Kansas City, Kansas, Public School district’s Diploma+ College and Career Readiness program shows high school seniors generated 5,466 scholarship offers this school year.

This totals more than $120 million from 23 different colleges and universities with the Scholarship Initiative Program.

“This has certainly been an amazing year for the Diploma+ team. The hard work of our campus-based staff and high school students are to be commended,” said Dr. LaShonda Bilbo-Ervin, director of Diploma+.

The scholarships surpassed last year’s award offers by more than $45 million. The increase is attributed to the new initiatives the district implemented this year, according to a spokesman.

The district implemented a program called Financing College Nights, which was held at all five high school locations for students and their families. Students were able to obtain information and resources pertaining to their eligibility for financial aid and the process for applying.

This event contributed to 54 percent of seniors completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); the average in Kansas is 45 percent, according to a spokesman.

“The data shows that the initiatives that we implemented produced the desired outcomes. Our College Fair, held in October, allowed our 12th graders to have access to 54 colleges and universities. Some students receive college acceptance right there on the spot,” Dr. Ervin said.

The application process can be an intimidating and cumbersome task for many students. A large part of securing funds is the ability to craft an essay that tells the applicant’s story and how the funds will assist them in reaching their educational goals. The process can even be as overwhelming for parents trying to apply for scholarships that align to their child’s talents, the spokesman stated.

In an effort to remove some of those barriers, the Diploma+ team held Winning Writing Workshops for juniors and seniors to help prepare them for writing scholarship essays, according to the spokesman. The workshops were held on Wednesdays at every high school with assistance from the professionals who read the essays and determine the recipients of the funding.

The workshops were a success with 743 scholarship applications and essays being completed, totaling nearly $3 million in scholarship dollars for KCKPS students, the spokesman stated.

“I am proud of our Diploma+ team, and what they are doing throughout the district is translating into long-term student growth,” Dr. Charles Foust, superintendent, said in a news release. “All students deserve to have the best quality of education possible, and a college degree further advances their access to a better quality of life. Our students and their families are taking advantage of the programs and resources that are a significant component in preparing them for college.

  • Story from Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools