Science teacher Chad Scholten is the advisor for the HOSA club here at FHC and has been since 2017. He knows HOSA has many attributes that allow for a wide variety of students to participate. However, the tasks that ensue at competitions can only be handled by certain individuals. 

“[At] one of our first competitions,” Scholten said, “one of the girls went into a veterinary event, and one of the things that schools have to know is how to sample and analyze the stool from a dog or a cat. So, they had a simulated stool, which I think was some candy bar, so it looked like something that they had to clean and look for worms or something like that. So, a little bit gross and disgusting. But she found out that’s what she wanted to go into. And hey, if I can handle this, then she could handle the real thing.” 

HOSA has over fifty-five different events in the competition, so not everyone is dealing with fake stool, but each aspect is geared toward future health professionals. There are many students involved in HOSA at competitions—there can be around 3,000 people trying to win and get to States. 

HOSA, with competitions and simply in general, is not like other clubs offered at FHC—excluding DECA and Science Olympiad. HOSA meets once a week, but the meetings are not mandatory. According to junior Quinn Hane, attendance varies from week to week. 

However, there is one similarity HOSA has with other clubs: the atmosphere.

I think [one of the best parts of the club and what makes it] seem like every [other] club is seeing them get along,” Scholtens said, “and seeing the connections and the friendships that are formed through the club. Yes, they’re learning, and they’re having the experience of knowing something about a trade you might do in the future. But for the most part, it’s the connections and friendships that they make along the way.” 

Quinn adores the atmosphere of the club. Though the meetings are few and brief, she has talked to people she never would have had it not been for the club. In both the club, here at school, and at competitions, Quinn is meeting new people with common interests. 

“I think just knowing that we have a shared interest or even just a general passion for going into medicine or health in the future [helped bring us together],” Quinn said. “It is really interesting to know that other people in our school want to do the same thing, and you’re not the only one.”

Quinn did not stick with HOSA after the first meeting only for the companionship; she is considering a nursing job after high school, and through a clinical competition at regionals, she had the opportunity to test the waters of being a nurse. 

“I chose a clinical event, which is where I get to practice actual real skills that I learned and apply the knowledge that I studied,” Quinn said.  “And being able to [test my skills] and really do something [with my knowledge] was really cool. I had to dress up in scrubs for my event because that’s the attire that nurses and nursing assistants wear. I think it was really cool to see how my life might be in the future even if it’s on such a small scale like competing and doing a few events.”

Quinn and senior Marissa Bertocchini have had vastly different experiences with HOSA. Marissa reached out to the old advisor of HOSA before she even stepped foot in the high school and is now captain of the club at Kent Career and Technical Center (KCTC). Marissa has competed her whole high school career and has even placed first and gone on to States. 

“Probably [my favorite memory was] during the award ceremony,” Marissa said. “They call everyone down off the bleachers who made the top 10. At this most recent competition, I got pulled down, and then they listed off the top three places. When they got to second place, I was like ‘oh shoot I didn’t place.’ Then, they said my school’s name, and I saw the crowd from KCTC start jumping up and screaming. It was really nice to know that I have their support behind me.”

Marissa has found friendship and support beyond her team. It is important to the people who run HOSA that the competition is not geared only toward winning but also towards bonding. 

HOSA brings together like-minded people who are interested in either becoming health professionals or simply learning about the health field. 

 “So, at competitions, there are a million students,” Marissa said. “But you get to really converse with all of [the competitors]. There’s karaoke and stuff that you can do later at night, and it’s just a really fun bonding experience because [HOSA] really does promote bonding outside of the competitions, and plus you really bond with your team that you go with.”

While Marissa does partake and win in nursing events, she wants other students to know HOSA has other attributes that are not health-related but are helpful in other aspects of life. 

 “There are also leadership events that can help you with public speaking and learning how to write research essays and [other] stuff,” Marissa said. “It’s not just [helpful with learning things for the] medical [field], but it is also very helpful for college and [life].”