CHS senior Julia Hume is pictured after her donation appointment, in front of the American Red Cross van advertisement for donors, at the blood drive event on April 1.
With a passion for education, public health, and collaboration, Carrollton High School senior Julia Hume anchored her International Baccalaureate capstone project in community wellness. In partnership with the American Red Cross, Julia organized a blood drive event on April 1 in the Hall of Fame room at Carrollton High School.
Each International Baccalaureate diploma candidate is required to plan and execute a Creative Activity and Service (CAS) project to complete their path of study. Students work with faculty sponsors to plan and facilitate the projects. Julia’s sponsor, CHS Healthcare teacher Shannon Bright, helped support her throughout the process.
“Julia put her time, energy, and heart into making this blood drive a success,” said Bright. “From recruiting donors to organizing logistics and spreading the word, her dedication has truly brought our school and community together.”
Julia said her interest in hosting this event was sparked when she first learned the life-changing impact blood donations have in emergency medical situations. According to the American Red Cross, “one donation can save up to three lives,” highlighting the profound results even one donor can have.
From organizing volunteers, managing parental consent forms, designing flyers for promotion, and even advertising the event on the morning video-broadcast, Julia set her mind to accomplish her goal. Sharing the power of donating with her peers and the Carrollton City Schools community at large, she registered 90 donors before the event, with walk-in appointments available.
The collaborative effort made a tremendous impact. Not only did the blood drive provide an opportunity for students, staff, and community members to participate, but it also served as a learning opportunity for classes. A CHS health sciences course brought students to the event to learn more about the American Red Cross and discuss components of their cardiology unit shown in action.
Julia said that her peers in the student organization for future healthcare professionals, HOSA, and fellow students and faculty from the IB program shared in her excitement and provided the support needed to make the event a success.
“I’m especially proud of how I was able to involve so many people from different parts of my life in the project. This included holding recruitment sessions and a tour, involving plenty of CHS clubs, sharing on social media, speaking with my church, creating videos for University of West Georgia students, and reaching out to faculty at the elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as my job and the martial arts school where I help teach,” said Julia. “Each effort helped raise awareness and connect the community to an urgent public health need.”
With the goal of becoming a pediatric primary care physician, Julia takes every opportunity to learn more about the medical field. Last summer, she was selected from applicants across the country to attend the University of Georgia’s Foothills Health Careers Youth Conference, based on her transcript and a personal essay. Throughout the program, she worked alongside UGA faculty members to gain hands-on laboratory experience and learn more about different areas of the public health and medical fields. At the start of 2026, she began her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program, which she will complete this summer, and she is currently finishing her Basic Life Support (BLS) certification. In the meantime, she shadows healthcare professionals at Physicians Care Group of West Georgia as an intern.
Whether she’s pursuing her CNA in her spare time or leading student organizations on campus, Julia is committed to making a real, positive impact on the lives of those around her.
