HOSA stands for Health Occupation Students of America. It is a club/organization for students that have an interest in the medical field. At LCM, there are around 40-50 students in HOSA. Students can join HOSA by seeing the sponsor of HOSA, Tara Parsons and going to a meeting.
At HOSA meetings, members discuss the upcoming events for that month and how students can get involved in the community.
Parsons said she likes to instill accountability and integrity in her HOSA students. She believes that if students say they are going to do something, that they should keep their word and that this is an important trait for them to have.
“We are proud of how many blood donations we collect every year,” Parsons said. “While it has decreased some in recent years, it is still saving lives. We would like to encourage students 16 and older to consider blood donation. It is particularly important for our nation to have sufficient stock on hand. We are also proud of our purple Santa donations. Every year, we buy gifts for students in our district that might otherwise not receive gifts on Christmas morning. Last year, we were able to donate two bikes thanks to Brooke Tinsley!”
The Monday after meetings, the HOSA members go to the Life Skills classroom before school and stay through advisory. They hang out, play games, color, and talk with the students.
The challenges have included trying to find activities where all of the members can be involved. A lot of the students, myself included, are not available on weekends, which is when most of the official HOSA conferences are. The main goal of HOSA is to have fun and give back to the community. They also have a fun field trip at the end of the year.
Leading and Service are the core values of HOSA. They try to facilitate their members to become leaders in the school, which will contribute to both their personal growth and their future in healthcare. They also try to promote a “servants’ heart,” which means serving others.
The most recent event the HOSA members have helped at is the trunk or treat at Mauriceville Elementary. They are also working on getting set up as volunteers at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital. The hospital has asked the HOSA students to help with painting their pediatric unit to revamp the doors for the patients and their families each month.
