By: Averi Allred, Rayna Carter, Taelor Laurie, Nadia Walker Lately, concern has been spreading throughout the school because of several medical emergencies occurring nearly frequently. Word travels from student to student, and there are likely many rumors that arise with mistaken information. Our interviewers spoke with both the students that deal with these issues and administrators that oversee their well-being to clear up any misconceptions. Their responses can educate the student body on medical issues that their peers are suffering from and give hope to those who struggle; concerned students can be reassured that the school is fully prepared to address any issues that may occur. When asked about the sudden occurrence of multiple events, Assistant Principal McMillan explained, “The medical emergencies we experience here at Loganville are kind of like a roller coaster... Some weeks we don’t hear anything, and some weeks we have an ambulance up here every day.” She said the two biggest medical emergencies at Loganville were typically students passing out due to not eating properly or not getting enough rest and vaping incidents. Administrators are not strangers to these health problems, and they have a steady protocol to follow when such instances arise. According to Mrs. McMillan, Loganville policy assures that front office attendants, administrators, the nurse, and the resource officer each have a radio. In the event of a medical emergency, teachers push the panic button, inform the front office of the student’s name and condition, and state that they need medical assistance. Ms. Beck, the school secretary, radios for all administrators to go to the correct room number for a medical emergency. When they are called, they stop what they are doing and immediately take action. The nurse grabs a wheelchair and a bag filled with medical supplies, and they (the nurse and administrators) head to the room. Upon entering, they assess the situation to determine if other students should leave the room, make sure the student is relatively okay, and “go from there.” The nurse is on-hand, trained in her job. During her interview, she explained that she takes vital signs to assess whether the student needs to be taken to the hospital or sent home when they awaken (if the student is rendered unconscious). When asked about her reactions to emergencies, she assured us that because of her many years of experience as a nurse, she is able to stay calm and unstressed in these dangerous situations. There are many students at Loganville High School dealing with health issues; we were able to interview two students about these struggles. Bailey Pope is in the junior class at LHS. She was “diagnosed with epilepsy halfway through [the] first semester of freshman year, and that impacted the rest of high school and marching band for [her].” Epilepsy is defined as “a chronic disorder, the hallmark of which is recurrent, unprovoked seizures” (epilepsy.com). What does this mean for Bailey? She explained, “School has been tough for sure. Trying to navigate my way around high school and growing up, mixed with the countless doctor's appointments that can't be missed, definitely impacts the amount of work you're able to do. It seems like a simple fix, ‘oh just do more work’, it's not that simple at all because doing so much work stresses you out, and one of the big causes of seizures is stress.” Bailey’s health problems are a huge obstacle in many aspects of her life, and many people do not realize how much students with these issues have to deal with. We also interviewed Taylor Bentley, a sophomore at LHS. She described her conditions: “I have a rare bleeding disorder called ‘Delta Storage Pool Deficiency’ that affects the way my blood clots. I also have PCOS, which is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, and an undiagnosed neurological disorder.” These issues each sound scary on their own, and together, they can cause more danger. When one problem arises, the others are irritated in response; because of her blood issues, she is unable to take ibuprofen for the pain. Her school attendance suffers from multiple absences, and her schoolwork often has to be turned in late as a result. Although students like Bailey and Taylor have to deal with school differently than others, their families and peers have rallied around them to create a support network. Bailey explains that her greatest support is her mom. In her words, “There [are] times where I feel like I can't deal with this condition anymore, but she picks me back up, makes me laugh, sometimes takes me shopping or out for dinner just to cheer me up. It's an endless cycle of good days and bad days, but I always have her there as my shoulder to cry on. My mom is something special really because she's the person that sees me go through all the side effects and missing school but stays strong for me in times that I really need her.” In addition, Bailey has an in-training service dog. As part of Taylor’s support system, she explained that the teachers, administrators, nurse, and her friends have all been very understanding and helpful. Her teachers allow her to make up missed work, and her friends are able to send her notes they took in class. These students and others are grateful for the compassion they receive from those around them. Although the rumors of health emergencies may have alarmed some people, students can rest assured that they are in good hands. Those experiencing health problems can reach out for assistance, which brings hope to our student body as we move forward supporting each other in our times of need.