LEXINGTON — Kentucky Blood Center has awarded George Rogers Clark High School and Clark Area Technology Center graduate Avrey Skillern, of Winchester, a $375 Power of Life Scholarship. Avrey Skillern will attend Western Kentucky University in the fall.

Since 2010, Kentucky Blood Center (KBC) has granted nearly 600 scholarships to Kentucky high schools that host blood drives. The school earns the award based on the number of donations at those blood drives. The high school then selects the scholarship winner(s).

This academic year, 109 high schools hosted more than 300 blood drives and received more than $75,500 in scholarships to present to students for their continued education.

“High school blood donors positively impact the healthcare of this state,” said Bill Reed, KBC’s President and CEO. “This year they provided more than 9,100 blood components, which have saved thousands of lives throughout the Commonwealth. We appreciate their life-saving generosity and are gratefully thanking them by awarding Power of Life Scholarships.”

Power of Life Scholarships are awarded each school year based on the units of blood donated at blood drives hosted by each high school or vocational school. Depending on the blood drive results, a school can receive a scholarship award of up to $3,000. The school has the option to present the scholarship in total to one student or divide it up among several students. Each school determines the scholarship recipient(s), and KBC pays the scholarship directly to the establishment of higher education.

 Founded nearly 50 years ago, KBC is the largest independent, full-service, non-profit blood center in Kentucky. Licensed by the FDA, KBC’s sole purpose is to collect, process and distribute blood for patients in Kentucky. KBC provides services in 90 Kentucky counties and has donor centers in Lexington, Louisville, Pikeville and Somerset.