Terre Haute South seniors’ local community project raises awareness about importance of organ donation
April 12, 2022
CONTACT
Duane Brodt
C: 317-675-0288
O: 317-222-3437
APRIL IS NATIONAL DONATE LIFE MONTH
Terre Haute South seniors’ local community project raises awareness about importance of organ donation
After winning state DECA competition, duo will compete internationally April 23-26 in Atlanta
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Two Terre Haute South High School seniors who have championed organ donation this school year through a community project won a state competition earlier this month and will compete internationally in April.
Micah Huckaby and Landrie Flack took first place in the community giving category of the 2022 Indiana DECA State Career Development Conference, edging out projects by students at Carmel, Fishers and Avon high schools.
DECA prepares high school and college students for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. The duo will compete in DECA’s International Career Development Conference April 23-26 in Atlanta where they’ll face more than 70 teams from around the world.
Huckaby and Flack planned and executed a host of special events throughout Vigo County during the school year to raise awareness about how organ donation saves lives.
“We hosted ‘Dodge for Donors,’ a dodgeball tournament that had seven teams compete,” Huckaby said. “We shared information about donation and transplantation with students and their parents. We were able to do the same at two of our school’s boys basketball games.”
They coordinated two engaging speaking events at their school. In one, a Vigo County man shared how his son’s organ donations saved lives. Another featured an Indiana Donor Network educator who shared facts and fielded students’ questions about donation and transplantation.
“They asked great questions and our conversations really gave them something to think about,” said Corinne Osinski‑Carey, a community outreach coordinator.
Huckaby and Flack also created a survey for their fellow students, asking them questions about how they feel about organ donation and quizzing them about how much they know about it.
Through their efforts, Huckaby and Flack raised nearly $3,400 to support Indiana Donor Network and Donate Life Indiana. Part of their DECA training includes skill development in fundraising and fiscal management.
“We’ve been involved with DECA since we were freshmen,” Flack said. “We’ve done a lot of volunteering and presenting at major events. This year, our senior year, we’ve been very active.”
They chose to educate their Vigo County community about organ donation through DECA because both have a personal connection with organ transplantation. Huckaby’s uncle received a lifesaving heart transplant in 2020 after being on the waiting list for three years. Flack’s brother suffers from a degenerative eye disease and may need corneal transplants in the future.
After graduation, Huckaby will attend Purdue University and study to become a pharmacist while Flack will attend Indiana State University and study business.
About Indiana Donor Network
The decision to become an organ, tissue and eye donor is a decision to give the gift of life. Indiana Donor Network serves as the vital link between donors and patients waiting for lifesaving organ transplants, healing tissue and corneas to restore sight. The organization is a federally designated organ recovery organization and accredited tissue bank serving 85 of Indiana’s 92 counties. Its team of more than 225 dedicated professionals is committed to saving and healing lives through donation and transplantation, championing the cause through education and outreach and supporting donor families in their time of need. For more or to sign up as a donor, visit Indiana Donor Network online.
Indiana Donor Network® and the Indiana Donor Network Foundation® are federally registered trademarks.
About Donate Life Indiana
Since 1998, Donate Life Indiana has been the state-authorized nonprofit organization responsible for managing the Indiana donor registry. Its mission is to save lives by creating opportunities for all Indiana citizens to sign up on the organization’s official state registry while striving to raise awareness for organ, eye and tissue donation and transplantation through public education. For more, visit Donate Life Indiana online.
