Xenia High School is proud to celebrate graduating seniors Ava Wellman and Jakayla Windsor for successfully earning their Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certifications!

As part of their Health Science (Biomedical) Pathway, Ava and Jakayla applied advanced, industry-standard problem-solving methodologies to a real-world challenge right here at home: optimizing the school’s HOSA blood drives. Under the expert guidance and facilitation of Mrs. Darla Gray and Dr. Martha Rutan, the duo utilized the DMAIC framework (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) to target the root causes of donor deferrals and incomplete paperwork.

Through strategic improvements — including pre-donation donor education and streamlined lunchroom registration — they successfully boosted actual student blood donations from a baseline of 46 up to 56 participants.

Hear From Our Green Belts:

“Working on this Green Belt project was really fun and interesting because I got to learn different tools that can help solve problems. I want to use what I learned at my current job to help fix some of the problems they have there. This project also showed me that there are organized ways to improve communication and work through challenges. It made me feel more confident in finding solutions, and I know these are skills I will use after high school and in future jobs.”  — Jakayla Windsor

“I had a great time working with Mrs. Johnson on our Green Belt project. It helped me realize that problem-solving skills are important not just in school, but also in everyday life and future jobs. Before this project, I never really thought about how businesses use problem-solving tools every day. Now I understand how these strategies can improve teamwork, communication, and the overall workplace.”  — Ava Wellman

As these two exceptional leaders close this chapter and step into their next endeavors, they leave behind a powerful legacy of operational excellence and community service at Xenia High School. Please join us in congratulating Ava, Jakayla, Mrs. Gray, and Dr. Rutan on this remarkable, professional-level accomplishment!