A new club is bringing healthcare to the next level at Owatonna High School this year. The club’s name is HOSA-Future Health Professionals. This club will allow students at OHS to build new skills and get hands-on experience in healthcare to take with them in the future. Their mission is to promote career opportunities within the healthcare field.
Although HOSA-Future Health Professionals has already been brought to many schools internationally, junior Ava Cox and junior Beverly Deranek thought it should be brought to OHS as well. The reason behind their idea to do this is simple: they wanted to create an outlet for other students who are interested in healthcare as well, so they can learn more about job and volunteer opportunities within the community at an early age. Cox and Deranek will collaborate as Co-Presidents this year.
Deranek hopes to strive as a leader and make a difference in the lives of others through OHS HOSA. Deranek said, “My goal as a Co-President is to help other students explore their interests and bring new opportunities to them that will motivate them to keep learning about all that the healthcare field has to offer.”
OHS HOSA will compete in a conference during the winter against other schools involved in HOSA. This competition will have over 70 different competition categories for students to choose from. Deranek is looking forward to attending the different competitions this year and getting to compete as well.
Cox is also excited for what is to come this year for the new club and even what will happen in the future. Cox said, “I think that it [HOSA] can be something that is super big because I know there’s a lot of people interested in healthcare, and I think that the competitions definitely are enticing to people.”
OHS HOSA has already kicked off its club in many ways this school year. So far, they have had meetings, held an informational table at lunch and participated in Safety September at OHS. Even with only having a few meetings so far, they are starting off strong with 53 members.
Club Adviser Ms. Becky Wood is impressed with the number of students involved in the club this early on. Wood said, “It’s a good club to get kids experience with other medical fields that are out there. I think a lot of kids know doctors and nurses, but there is a plethora of other medical careers out there that kids are completely unaware of.”
With many different career opportunities out there, Wood expressed that many students involved in OHS HOSA want to pursue a career in nursing, ultrasound and radiology or a type of physician job as well. Cox mentioned that she would be interested specifically in occupational therapy and Deranek is looking to become a surgeon.
OHS HOSA members will have many exciting opportunities to build new skills and gain new knowledge this year as well as spread the message about their mission. Be on the lookout for other exciting events that HOSA has to offer this school year at OHS. Check out their Instagram account: “owatonnahosa” to learn more.
