Ohio High School Students Register 400 Donors, Champion Transplant Advocacy Through SODA Chapter

USA – At the annual Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT) conference, Erica Randall, Community Partnerships and Events Manager at Network for Hope, shared her mission to mobilize student advocacy around organ, eye, and tissue donation in Cincinnati and Kentucky. As a two-time donor family member, Randall encouraged the launch of the first high school chapter of SODA: Student Organ Donation Advocates in Ohio at the Warren County Career Center. The chapter has since grown into a powerful force, registering nearly 400 individuals on the national donor registry and educating over 10,000 people across the region.

Trevor Banks, chapter president and senior nursing student, spoke about the chapter’s achievements and the deep personal connections fueling their mission. Inspired by his father’s tissue transplant and the stories of community members—including a retired school nurse who received a heart transplant and a cafeteria worker’s husband who underwent a successful liver transplant—Banks emphasized the life-changing impact of donation.

The Warren County Career Center SODA chapter was recognized for winning two categories in the 2024 SODA Campus Challenge: High School Champion and Most Donors Registered. Network for Hope and SODA’s shared slogan, “The Ultimate Group Project,” reflects the collective power of student-led advocacy. Banks also highlighted cultural disparities in donor registration and the need for broader education, noting that 60% of Ohioans on the waiting list are people of color.

The chapter’s efforts extend beyond education—they serve as a bridge between personal experience, cultural awareness, and public health impact. By forming strong community ties and normalizing conversations around donation, these students are making measurable progress in tackling the national transplant shortage.