DAYTON – Community Blood Center and Vectren are celebrating 15 years of co-sponsoring the Lead The Way Creative Scholarship competition.

Five area high school seniors can win $1,000 for college tuition. The deadline to enter is April 20.

For the 15th anniversary of the Lead The Way competition, CBC is introducing a new online application form available at the CBC website, www.GivingBlood.org. Students can submit information, upload their high school transcript and upload images or video of their work.

Scholarship applicants are challenged to design a winning marketing campaign for a high school blood drive. They must craft an original theme or slogan, explain briefly why it would encourage students to donate and creatively express the theme using traditional marketing techniques, digital or social media campaigns or through innovative, artistic methods.

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be graduating, college-bound seniors whose high school hosts a blood drive in CBC’s 15 county service area of western Ohio and eastern Indiana. A minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average is required.

All applicants must submit online entries by April 20. They have the option to mail or deliver full-scale samples of their design work to: Community Blood Center/Attn: CBC Educator, 349 S. Main St., Dayton, OH 45402.

Work samples must be postmarked or delivered by April 20. The online application form and examples of winning campaigns are available at www.GivingBlood.org.

For more information, contact Cristina Pickle at [email protected].

Donors can connect with Community Blood Center for the latest information and services at www.GivingBlood.org. Individuals can get fast and complete answers on how to make their first donation, organize a blood drive or bring Community Blood Center’s education program to a school. People can get all the updates in the CBC/CTS newsroom, find quick links to Community Blood Center’s social media pages or schedule an appointment to donate by connecting to www.DonorTime.com.

Donors are required to provide a photo ID that includes their full name. Past CBC donors also are asked to bring their CBC donor ID card. Donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 years old with parental consent: form available at www.givingblood.org or at CBC branch and blood drive locations), weigh a minimum of 110 pounds (donors may have to weigh more, depending on their height) and be in good physical health. The Food and Drug Administration changes blood donor eligibility guidelines periodically. Individuals with eligibility questions are invited to email [email protected] or call 1-800-388-GIVE. Donors can make an appointment at www.DonorTime.com.

Community Blood Center/Community Tissue Services is an independent, not-for-profit organization. Community Blood Center provides blood products to 25 hospitals and health centers within a 15-county service area in the Miami (Ohio) and Whitewater (Indiana)Valleys.

For more information about Community Blood Center/Community Tissue Services, visit www.givingblood.org.