Thousands of new additions to Donor Registry during Challenge; Students utilized a fun, throwback ‘90s “Bring Color into the World of Donation” theme
Throughout the month of October, 31 chapters of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Future Farmers of America (FFA), Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), and Key Club participated in the KODA 2018 High School Challenge to support its Donate Life Kentucky’s mission of increased organ donor recruitment. The results? An incredible 2,876 new names were added to the Kentucky Organ Donor Registry.
The winning schools who reached a target level in a point system based on outreach activities, and also had the most new signups on RegisterMe.org, participated in activities including registry drives, making commercials, art projects, school-wide assemblies, and social media posts. Many of the school clubs worked with their local Circuit Court Clerk to help promote saving lives through organ donation. The participating clubs were also the first to use a new online educational toolkit and utilized the national award-winning Bridge2Life app to learn about donation, register their peers and submit pictures of their events as well.
“These students were given a very challenging goal, and they absolutely blew it out the water,” states Crysta McGee, Community Educator with KODA and Circuit Clerks’ Trust For Life. “We wanted them all to know that organ donation isn’t just a health issue, it’s a human issue. Every school that participated took this challenge to heart and following the theme, added a lot of wonderful color to the world of donation.”
And importantly, there were no losers in this competition as every student group that participated has given hope to the 115,000 children and adults nationally waiting on a lifesaving organ transplant. The 2018 Donate Life Challenge Winners are:
- $1,000 1st place winners: Marion County High School FBLA and Area Technology Center HOSA Advisors Chastity Gribbins and Tara Wade
- $500 2nd place winner: Larue County FFA Advisor Misty Bivens
- $250 3rd Place winner: Union County High School FBLA Advisor Nathan Tanner
- $150 4th Place winner: Boyle County High School HOSA Advisor Jennifer Carney
- Social Media Rock Star: Greenwood High School FBLA Advisor Natalie Dyer
- Innovation: Doss High School Advisor Sarah Pataluna
- Spirit Award: Haley Parker, Harrodsburg ATC HOSA
For a full list of participating high schools or more information, please contact Crysta McGee at 502.415.0350.
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About Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates
Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) is dedicated to saving lives through organ and tissue donation and transplantation. KODA was formed in 1987, pulling together two hospital-based organ procurement groups to establish a statewide educational and procurement network. KODA is an independent, non-profit organ and tissue procurement agency and was recognized by Louisville Business Firstas Nonprofit of the Year in 2011. KODA currently serves 114 counties in Kentucky, 4 counties in southern Indiana and 2 counties in western West Virginia. KODA partners with the Kentucky Circuit Court Clerks’ Trust For Life in all public education and philanthropy efforts. For more information visit http://www.kyorgandonor.org.
About Kentucky Circuit Court Clerks’ Trust For Life
The Kentucky Circuit Court Clerks’ Trust For Life (TFL) is a 501c(3) non-profit organization that informs, educates and encourages Kentuckians to be registered organ and tissue donors to save lives. TFL was founded in 1992 as the charitable arm of the Kentucky Association of Circuit Court Clerks. The dollar donations at Circuit Court Clerks’ Driver’s License counters and other philanthropic partners, including KODA and Kosair Charities, fund the statewide community outreach and public relations efforts to grow the Organ Donation Registry. Kentucky was recognized by Donate Life America for highest increase in Registry rates in 2016. For more info call 1-866-945-5433, email info@trustforlife.org or visit www.trustforlife.org.