CRESTVIEW — Health Occupations Students of America, a Crestview High School club for future health professionals, helps students earn scholarships.
"[HOSA] students are all interested in future careers in health care," Dr. Tammy McKenzie, the CHS HOSA sponsor, stated. "By participating in HOSA, our students are gaining experiences in performing medical skills and interacting with other healthcare professionals from the Crestview area."
One way to prepare for the futures is competing in competitions to earn scholarships. HOSA members who placed in the recent Region One competition's top three positions will advance to the State Competition in April in Orlando.
These students placed at the competition:
●Bayne Burgess — first place, Medical Spelling
●Brooke Nagy — first place, Life Support Skills
●Angeles Tabb, Megan Martin, Christopher Garcia-Soto and Brendan Blount — second place, HOSA Bowl Team
●Casey Hemler — third place, Life Support Skills
●Hale Halle — third place, Clinical Specialty – Athletic Training
●Katie Patterson/Carlee Fortner — fourth place team, Community Emergency Response Team Skills
●Tejah Taylor — fourth place, Physical Therapy
●Sydney Diven — fourth place, Sports Medicine
●Alicia Yelder — fourth place, Clinical Specialty – Athletic Training
●Jayden Young — fourth place, Medical Photography
●Shyler Burgess — fourth place, Pathophysiology
●Angelica Perez — fifth place, Medical Assisting
The regional competition was Jan. 14 and 15 at Pensacola State College. Thirty students participated in over 40 events, ranging from CPR and physical therapy skills, to medical knowledge, and medical spelling bees.
"I am so proud of all of them," McKenzie said. "Preparing for this competition involved many hours after school. One of these students may save someone's life or work on finding a cure for cancer."
Attending the state competition will cost $80, and excludes transportation, food and lodging.
To help fund HOSA's trip, call McKenzie at 689-7177 ext. 3460 or email tammy.mckenzie@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview students advance to Health Occupations state competition