From March 23 to 25, students at the high school attended the annual Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) State Leadership Conference (SLC) in Lancaster, PA. The competition was open to members of the high school's Med Club and was coordinated by Ms. Stephanie Smith, a biology teacher at the high school, and Ms. Maribeth Lyles, Dean of Students. The team participated in various individual and team events and was led by seniors Ismaeel Qureshi and Sophie Zhang.

HOSA offers a range of events for students interested in different branches of healthcare, from dentistry to medical law. A common event format is on-site testing. "I had to answer 100 [multiple-choice] questions in 90 minutes. The test was split into different topics/concepts, and some were more heavily tested than others," said sophomore Cynthia "C" Cao. Other events include prepared speeches, quiz bowls, and writing events. "We answered questions about HOSA in a jeopardy style," said junior Henry Zhuge, who participated in the HOSA Bowl.

Over three days, students traveled back and forth from the Wyndham Resort and Convention Center, where the competition was held. "We had a lot of free time," said Zhuge, which gave participants the chance to explore the local area. "I got to relax and spend my free time doing what I wanted. I had the opportunity to go to a nearby shopping plaza where I hung out with my friends and bought things like clothing and food," said Cao.

Students who placed in the top three for their event qualified for the International Leadership Conference (ILC), which will be held in Nashville, Tennessee, this June. High school students from all around the world will attend. The high school team is preparing to compete at a higher level. "We plan to revamp our speech for the competition. We want to include snippets of what people have said about our project in our presentation," said sophomore Saya Patel, who won first place in Public Service Announcement with fellow sophomore Methuki Fonseka.

Students who didn't place at the SLC still considered it a worthwhile experience. "I would recommend doing it, especially if you're interested in going into premed," said Zhuge. "Even if you don't win, you should still try." HOSA offers students the chance to explore potential career paths and connect with healthcare professionals. " learned about many different specialties and roles in healthcare," said sophomore Shawn Fan. "Whether you win or not, you have a clearer sense of who you want to become."

News (Year to Date)

April

Academic Team Emerges Victorious

Med Club Competes at HOSA SLC

Longhorn Coders Win Coding Competition

March