By Staff Reports
(Oahu)– From a field of more than 700 secondary and post-secondary students competing in 35 different HOSA competitions, Team Leeward walked away with three Gold Medals at the 2015 HOSA Annual State Leadership Conference held on February 11 at the Hawai’i Convention Center.
The team of Jadon Aga, Alexander Huang, Haunani Day, and Brandon Piamonte represented Leeward and brought home the three gold medals. The Leeward CC Chapter also won the First Place Certificate for “Most Membership Increase” in post-secondary chapters.
From left: Jadon Agas , Haunani Day, Alexander Huang and Brandon Piamonte
Gold Medals were awarded to:
- Jadon Agas, in Nursing Assisting
- Brandon Piamonte in Sports Medicine
- Alexander Huang in Physical Therapy
They are now eligible to compete and represent Leeward CC and Hawai’i at the HOSA National Leadership Conference in June.
Besides competing in the skills competition, the Leeward students met other students from schools across the state. Will Castillo, program advisor stated, “It was a great experience with networking, socializing, competing, and learning. Now we’re on to the National Student Leadership Conference in Anaheim, California in June.”
HOSA (formerly known as Health Occupation Students of America, now known as HOSA: Future Health Professionals) is a nationwide, student-led organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Science Education Division of the Association for Career and Technical Education. The newest Career and Technical Student Organization, HOSA continues to thrive in the State of Hawaii. After becoming chartered in 2005 with 210 members representing twelve schools, Hawaii HOSA has since become established at twenty-three of Hawaii’s high schools and eight postsecondary institutions with a current membership total exceeding 1,200 members.
HOSA provides a unique program of leadership development, motivation, and recognition designed to meet the needs of secondary and postsecondary students interested in health and medical professions. HOSA is a powerful instructional tool that works best when integrated into Health Science/Services curricula. The Health Services Career Pathway, Health Academy, and Small Learning Community teachers are committed to the development of their students with HOSA competitive events, community service projects, and leadership activities. Students who join HOSA receive training far beyond the basic technical skills needed for entry into the healthcare field. They are provided experiences that will strengthen their focus on education and training necessary for a career in healthcare.
Established in 1976, HOSA has grown to over 150,000 members among 49 state associations (including Puerto Rico and District of Columbia). Through a student-led pipeline, HOSA members make significant contributions to overcoming the shortage of healthcare workers in our country.
More info and photos are up on our Leeward HOSA website: www.ocewd.org/leewardHOSA