WPIX 11 Features Students Raising Awareness About Organ Donations

Nicolas and Noble are students at Union Square Academy for Health Sciences, a CollegeBound Initiative partner school.
Originally broadcast on WPIX 11 on April 16, 2026

It started as a civics club after school project. And now a group of high school students is raising awareness and effecting change with the help of organ procurement organization LiveOnNY. They’re learning about the gift of life.

This group of students from Union Square Academy for Health Sciences got an inside look at LiveOnNY’s rescue center in Long Island City, rarely seen by the public. Nonprofit LiveOnNY partners with 11 transplant centers and nearly 100 hospitals. The students learned about the tissue and organ donation process.

For these students, it began with the civics club project last year led by now 18 year-old seniors, Nicolas R. and Noble O. They successfully raised the percentage of voter registration at their school, but then realized while eligible students checked the box to vote, there was another box they may not understand the implications of. “Looking at the numbers, our entire high school population, 0% were signed up [for organ donation] and it’s not because they didn’t want to sign up to become an organ donor. They didn’t know that option existed,” said Nicolas. “Whether or not they want to become an organ donor is totally up to them, but we have to teach them that they have this right.”

The grassroots effort at their school led to a partnership outside the classroom with LiveOn, leading to today’s tour and immersive experience.

Recognizing whether you choose to be an organ donor is a personal decision. They say they just want to encourage a conversation. “The first step would be just to talk about it. Talk about, research about, learn about how organ donation works in your state, your city or county,” said Noble.