Blood Center offers college aid

Next spring, three high school seniors will be $2,000 closer to a college education, thanks to scholarships awarded by The Blood Center East Texas' The Power of Life high school program. As the Jan. 31, application deadline nears, The Blood Center urges more students to apply.

Interested students should ask their high school counselor or visit www. givebloodet .org/ poweroflife for requirements and a printable application. Eligible applicants will be evaluated on essay submissions answering one of three questions about helping save lives by donating blood. Scholarship recipients will be announced in the spring.

The Power of Life is a program that lets students take the lead in planning their high school blood drives. As a benefit, three scholarships worth $2,000 each are awarded every year to high school seniors in the East Texas region whose schools hold at least two blood drives a year with The Blood Center East Texas.

High school students' donations account for approximately 20 percent of The Blood Center's mobile collections, even though high school blood drives are held only nine months out of the year. The Power of Life lays the foundation for the Commit for Life donors of tomorrow.