HUNTINGTON —The West Virginia Health Occupation Students of America (WV HOSA) State Leadership Conference brought over 600 high school and postsecondary students and their academic advisors from throughout the state to the campus of Marshall University in Huntington on March 13 and 14 for the 20th anniversary event.
Students competed in over 40 separate events to prove their skills and knowledge in a variety of health-related tasks. The events ranged from those that were very focused and specific to students’ prospective occupations, like CPR/First Aid, Nursing Assisting and Physical Therapy, to those that fell under a broader professional preparatory context like Creative Problem Solving, Extemporaneous Writing and Speaking Skills.
West Virginia HOSA provided professional development beyond the rooms in which competition took place. Competitors met for a pre-conference session in which they participated in an interactive leadership symposium. Students who participated in the HOSA Service Project were also recognized for their efforts in raising money and awareness on behalf of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
The WV HOSA State Leadership Conference unites students statewide every year to hone their skills and collaborate under their common belief in the HOSA Creed which is recited at the opening and closing sessions of each meeting.
Individual competitors and teams who placed first through third in each event were recognized at the closing session of the conference and awarded with medals and trophies. Those who were honored with a top-three finish qualified to compete at the HOSA National Leadership Conference. That conference will take place in Anaheim, California in June.
Those competing from Tucker County HOSA were Shasta Pifer, 1st place, Extrmporaneous Writing, Madison Mullenax, 2nd place, Dental Terminology, Dakota Eye, 3rd place, Human Growth and Development Knowledge Test, Isabella Zais, Top 5, CPR and First Aid, Sophia Ricottilli, Top 5, CPR & First Aid, Abbey Eye, Top 5, Prepared Speaking, Alexis Roth, Top 5, Medical Terminology, Sierra Bennett, Kristen Nestor, Angela Myers, Gary Meloy, Amanda Pennington and Madison Reall. Those receiving the Barbara James Service Award for Community Service were Bennett, Pennington, Roth, Nestor and Eye with a total of 552 hours. Alexis Roth will also represent Tucker County and West Virginia as the 2015-16 WV HOSA State Reporter/Historian.
