Washington Leadership Academy….where do I start? It was five days spent with amazing people, learning new leadership skills and tactics, doing many fun activities and having a lot of fun roaming (safely) the streets of Washington, D.C. However, while I was there, I realized that there are three key elements that mold exceptional leaders. These elements include: communication, time management and optimism.

            As a growing young adult, I know the effectiveness of communication. Not only is communication effective when trying to figure out “what’s happening” this weekend, but also when a person is in a position where he is required to converse with others, or when working on a group project. This is vital because the slightest miscommunication can throw off any task and lead to misunderstandings. People also want leaders who can get a message across, and this is only possible through good communication skills. For example, after being split up into groups with state leaders from all over the nation, we were informed that each group must perform a skit, talent, game, and do a presentation on an assigned person. Well my team did a poor job of communicating; so we never got together as a group, which resulted in us not being able to perform any of the assignments which were assigned to us. This was very upsetting because there were a few of us who met and planned for the activities. But this is an example of what can happen if a person doesn’t communicate effectively.

            Knowing where to go, how to get there, and the amount of time it takes to get there are all components of time management; you have to consider all of these elements when planning to go anywhere. Time management in the case of my trip to Washington included finding time to meet with my assigned team, organizing meetings with my state team, being on time for each session and having time to myself and to socialize. This was very challenging considering the many activities we were participating in; but everyone seemed to do a good job with this, which made the conference even more enjoyable.

            As I continue to grow and mature, I realize that everything is not “always about me”. I have never been a self-centered person; however, I have had moments where I thought that my ideas and opinions were more important than another person’s. But participating in the Washington Leadership Academy, I realized that everyone is different and there are always going to agree with each other, and there shouldn’t be any arguing because of this because in the end, everyone will be happy. The perfect example is when my team had to choose a game to present. Everyone who was present threw out ideas, but some people were becoming annoyed when their idea was eliminated. In the end everyone was happy because we ended up doing a childhood game that everyone loved! We came to consensus.

            Overall, the experience was great! Not to mention, meeting with staff members from the offices of our South Carolina United States Senators and House of Representative. That was a great way to end the trip! They seemed so enthused that we were there. They also were very supportive of our organization and said that they would be glad to help in any way that they could! This trip really impacted my future in many ways. It was the highlight of my senior year so far because not only did it teach me new skills and allow me to develop new relationships with HOSA leaders across the U.S., it also nurtured my passion for helping people, allowed me to recognize the most important leadership qualities (in my opinion) and it has inspired me to run for state office again. 

WKHS teacher gets a lesson on health from Surgeon General

HOSA is honored to announce, along with the Office of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (OCVMRC), the following HOSA members to participate in the 2011 Office of the Surgeon General-HOSA Internship during the following weeks:

7/11/11 – 7/15/11: Angel Clark, Professional Member, White Knoll High School, Lexington, SC Samiha Azam, Central High School, Keller, TX Aakash Patel, South Forsyth High School, Suwanee, GA

8/8/11 – 8/12/11: Brittany Ebbing , Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ Oregon McDiarmid, Willow Canyon High School, Waddell, AZ Brittany Woods, Apple Valley High School, Apple Valley, CA

HOSA is pleased that the Medical Reserve Corp made the decision to sponsor two weeks with six interns (instead of the agreed upon one week with three interns). A special thanks to CAPT Robert Tosatto and his team for their support in this program.

Click here to view the Press Release

SC HOSA is pleased to announce our 2010 Outstanding Partner of the Year−

South Carolina Department of Education -Office of Career and Technology Education

Click here to read the full article: Partner of the Year

SC HOSA is pleased to announce our 2010 Outstanding Advisor of the Year− Diane Melton of Ridge View High School.

Click here to read the full article: Advisor of the Year

Creating Memorable Moments through Community Services Projects

Submitted by Janet Hodge, ATA Health Science Teacher/HOSA Advisor

 HOSA members and health science nursing pathway students from the Academy of Technology and Academics (ATA) in Conway, Horry County School District are involved in a continuing volunteer partnership with HOSPICE CARE of South Carolina. They have provided cookie bags every month. For Thanksgiving, they prepared cupcakes in individual Thanksgiving cupcake containers.  The week before Thanksgiving, these health science students began preparing meals weekly and bringing the items to school for HOSPICE to pick up for their patients. Other students at the school also prepared Thanksgiving cards for the patients. Click to read more...

2010 FALL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

 Designed for Chapter Officers, Members, and Advisors

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Newberry College, Newberry, SC

Article from The Newberry Observer:

Newberry College helps high school students reach dreams

NC hosts HOSA conference

On, Thursday, Newberry College will host the 2010 Fall Leadership Conference for the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA). About 700 high school students from all over South Carolina areexpected to attend the event that the college has hosted since 2008.  During the conference, Newberry College students will give tours of campus and will help lead high school students around from one event to the next. According to the tentative agenda, all students will attend session son forensic medicine, cyber safety and noose’s competitive events fair. The students will then have the choice of attending one of the following sessions: simulation lab, officer wannabes, college do’s and don'ts, EMS experience, Newberry College campus tour. Topics for afternoon student sessions are: the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Grime Scene Investigation and team-building training.  A student-led national organization, HOSA is for students who are interested in pursuing careers in health care.  HOSA is not a club which a few students in school join, but a powerful tool that works best when integrated into health science education curriculum, says the HOSA Web site.  It’s one of 10 national career and technology student organizations endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education. “We proudly salute Newberry College frothier generous scholarship donations, their educational presentations and use of their facilities,” said Nancy Allen, SCHOSA State advisor. “Newberry College goes above and beyond to support S.C.HOSA.” The national HOSA organization requires high school students to be enrolled in health science courses and to be interested in pursuing careers in health care. Individual schools, however, may require more for persons to become group members.  HOSA’s emphasis extends from development of specific medical skills to development of the intrapersonal skills needed to be leaders and effective team members within professional environments.  With smaller class sizes and individual faculty attention, Newberry College provides learning environment similar to what the students will have encountered in their high school HOSA courses. Though our college does not have a HOSA chapter, there are two organization son campuses that are available for students interested in health professions: the Future Medical Professionals Association (FMPA) and the Student Nurse Association (SNA). With an emphasis on educating the whole student, Newberry College relates well with this year’s HOSA national theme, “the hearts that believe and the hands that achieve.” We believe in the capable hands of our professors, staff and students who use their talents to educate, nurture and inspire hearts to be dedicated to lives of professional excellence and community service, and we hope that students attending the 2010Fall Leadership Conference realize the many ways that your hometown college, Newberry College can help them reach their dreams as well.

-From The Newberry Observer, 10/13/10

HOSA State Officers and Leaders Meet at the White House and U.S. Capitol during Annual Washington Leadership Academy

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) recently met together at the historic White House Eisenhower Executive Office Building to hear national thought leaders stress the importance of building the pipeline of future healthcare workers.

On Monday, September 13, Dr. Glenn Cummings, Assistant Secretary for the Department of Education and former educator, addressed the group of 180 students and state leaders. Cummings discussed health science education and the important role career and technical education plays in fostering the pipeline.  

Additional speakers included Former Congressman Louis Stokes, Captain Robert Tosatto from the Office of the Surgeon General and Director of the Medical Reserve Corps, and Paul Montiero and Karen Richardson from the White House Office of Public Engagement.

Later during their visit to Washington, D.C., HOSA state officers met in the U.S. Capitol and listened to prominent members of Congress and their staff speak on the future of healthcare in America and the critical role that HOSA will play.

Congressman Charles Gonzales (D-TX) and Congressman Michael Burgess (R-TX), a physician, spoke to a standing room only crowd and reiterated the country's need for HOSA students. In addition to these members, staff from the Offices of Senator Cornyn (R-TX), Congressman Tierney (D-MA), Congressman Zack Space (D-OH), Senator Inouye (D-HI) and Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-TX) also shared a few words in support of HOSA.

Commander Erica Schwartz, a very special guest from the U.S. Coast Guard and the Public Health Service, discussed the bright future that lies ahead for the students of HOSA. She spoke about the networking and leadership skills HOSA students receive as a part of their training and the significant role they will play in their future.

In addition, on Tuesday, September 14, HOSA leaders spent the day on the Hill and met with their respective members of Congress and their staff to discuss the importance of addressing critical care shortages in the healthcare workforce.

HOSA is a national student organization, endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education, whose mission is to promote opportunities in healthcare to enhance the delivery of quality healthcare to all people. Since its beginnings in 1976, HOSA boasts over 1.6 million alumni. Today, HOSA has over 120,000 members and 3,000 chapters in 47 states.

Dear HOSA Advisors and Students:

On behalf of the SC HOSA, we would like to thank you once again for the wonderful raffle that was hosted at the state leadership conference. We were able to raise $1080.00 dollars from the event and all of these funds will go directly towards HOSA scholarships and Haiti relief.

Prior to the state leadership conference, a flyer was sent to all participating HOSA chapters to promote the raffle. As a friendly reminder, each HOSA advisor was contacted by phone to find out what items they would be donating for the raffle. Suggestions were given to those who were not sure what type of items to donate.

We would like to thank each school and business that made a contribution.  We raffled a total of 56 items. The zebra tote, Vera Bradley pocketbook, Palmetto mailbox décor and a variety of gift cards were some of our hot ticket items.

The drawing took place on Friday prior to the awards session. Thanks for making this a huge success. We look forward to next year.

 
Sincerely,

Terri Huber & Carrie Showman, HOSA Advisors

Cope Area Career Center

Health Occupations Students of America, Inc. and the U.S. Army

Sign Memorandum of Understanding in Support of Improving Career Options for Nation’s Students

CHARLESTON, S.C. (March 12, 2010) – U.S. Army Accessions Command (USAAC) and Health Occupations Students of America, Inc. (HOSA) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two organizations. The agreement identifies collaboration to support the Nation’s youth in developing the skills and leadership qualities necessary for success in health care-focused careers and beyond. Click News for complete article

2010 SC HOSA State Leadership Conference— A Winning Tradition  

submitted by Justin McDuffie, Reporter

Nervous jitters, outbursts of laughter; the sounds of over 900 students and advisors once again converged on the Embassy Suites and North Charleston Convention Center for the 2010 South Carolina HOSA State Leadership Conference, March 10-12. The conference provided two and a half days of educational symposiums, competitive events, exhibits, general sessions and the opportunity to network with students and healthcare partners from all over the state. Click News for complete article

Volunteerism At Work!

What a beautiful day May 1, 2010 turned out to be! There were 1,450 ladies registered for the 9th annual Providence Heart & Sole Women’s Five Miler. Dillon County Applied Technology Center's HOSA chapter served as volunteers at the Women's Heart and Sole 5-Miler in Columbia, May 1. They manned two hydration stations, Laura Shelley, their HOSA advisor served as a medical team liaison...and they worked HARD! SC HOSA appreciates their efforts to support this event and help increase awareness about heart disease, the number one killer of women. Their participation shows their commitment to community service and their motivation to serve others.

Health Occupations Students of America, Inc. and the U.S. Army

Sign Memorandum of Understanding in Support of Improving Career Options for Nation’s Students

CHARLESTON, S.C. (March 12, 2010) – U.S. Army Accessions Command (USAAC) and Health Occupations Students of America, Inc. (HOSA) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two organizations. The agreement identifies collaboration to support the Nation’s youth in developing the skills and leadership qualities necessary for success in health care-focused careers and beyond.

“HOSA is proud to partner with the U.S. Army to demonstrate the available career opportunities and prepare students for professions in the health care field,” said Jim Koeninger, Executive Director of HOSA. “Our organizations share a common goal: to provide young people with the opportunities, education, training and leadership skills they need to succeed. This MOU represents HOSA’s commitment to continued dialogue and collaborative actions with the U.S. Army. It helps ensure today’s youth are not only well-prepared for career success, but enables them as leaders and citizen contributors that keep our Nation strong.”

“The health care professions provide an essential service to our Nation and represent a promising career path for young people,” said Lieutenant General Benjamin C. Freakley, Commanding General, USAAC. “This partnership enables us to support HOSA’s commitment to developing skilled future health professionals. It will ensure that its members are given opportunities to explore career pathways and financial assistance, including the excellent options offered by the U.S. Army. Through educational funding, advanced training, mentoring and leadership development in more than 90 health care career paths, the U.S. Army offers these students many options.”

The MOU allows HOSA members to receive a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities and benefits of pursuing a health care career in the U.S. Army. Other focus areas include expanded career exploration and test preparation resources for educators and students; leadership development and improving the health and fitness of students.

Through the MOU, HOSA students, advisors and health science teachers will benefit from a combined effort to share the Army’s educational and expert resources. The Army’s emphasis on education, training and leadership supports HOSA’s mission to develop the knowledge, skills and leadership qualities of future health professionals.

Health Occupations Students of America, Inc is a national student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Science Education Division of ACTE. HOSA's two-fold mission is to promote career opportunities in the health care industry and to enhance the delivery of compassionate, quality health care by providing opportunities for knowledge, skill and leadership development of all health science technology education students.

The U.S. Army Accessions Command, headquartered at Ft. Monroe, Va., is charged with providing integrated command and control of recruiting for the Army's officer, warrant officer, and enlisted forces. Designed to meet the human resource needs of the Army, the command is charged with finding and recruiting the highest talent to be developed as Soldiers and Officers who will defend the Nation today and tomorrow.

Mar 22, 2010

2010 SC HOSA State Leadership Conference—A Winning Tradition

submitted by Justin McDuffie, Reporter

Nervous jitters, outbursts of laughter; the sounds of over 900 students and advisors once again converged on the Embassy Suites and North Charleston Convention Center for the 2010 South Carolina HOSA State Leadership Conference, March 10-12. The conference provided two and a half days of educational symposiums, competitive events, exhibits, general sessions and the opportunity to network with students and healthcare partners from all over the state.

The conference came to an end with the awards session and the new state officer inductions. South Carolina was excited to have a very special guest, three-star General Benjamin C. Freakley from the United States Army at our closing awards session. General Freakley was in attendance to sign a new memorandum of understanding between HOSA and the United States Army. Michael Brode, National HOSA President and Virginia Bishop, SC HOSA local chapter advisor and National HOSA Board of Directors member were on stage for the official partnership signing.

The purpose of the memorandum is to provide the cooperative framework for HOSA and the US Army to increase collaboration in supporting the Nation’s young people in developing the skills and leadership qualities necessary for success in healthcare-focused careers and beyond. Specific areas of focus that have been identified as fruitful for potential collaboration include: building comprehensive understanding of career choices among HOSA members, including the opportunities and benefits of healthcare careers in the U.S. Army; expanded career exploration/assessment and test preparation resources for educators and students; leadership development; and improving the health and fitness of students.

General Freakley shared his battlefield experiences and highlighted the experiences of heroic military healthcare professionals. General Freakley painted a vivid picture of an Army surgeon and his team removing a live rocket from the abdomen of a soldier and the soldier’s miraculous recovery. He highlighted the Army’s state of the art equipment and many scholarship opportunities.  The Army has over 90 healthcare professions including surgeons and nurses.  We look forward to the many opportunities this partnership will bring; Army Strong, HOSA Strong, a win-win for all!

In June, our competitive events winners, new state officers, and local chapter advisors will be packing their bags and heading south. South Carolina HOSA is ready to take on Orlando and the 2010 HOSA National Leadership Conference.