Members of our FHC community may know about varsity level sports and will go to watch games or tournaments, but there seems to be a lack of knowledge surrounding other clubs that the school offers. HOSA is a club that sits in this void of little to no representation, with only members knowing of any service projects or competitions that occur. However, the work that HOSA does is paramount to the Spartan Nation.

HOSA, or Health Occupations Students of America, is a global organization that is recognized by both the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as other federal agencies in the United States. HOSA promotes and advertises career opportunities within the health industry to current students and those who wish to pursue health-based professions. HOSA Vice-President Zach Lewis gave his take on what the HOSA mission is.

“I think the mission of HOSA is to teach and get people interested in healthcare, but teach them the serious and professional parts that are involved in every field,” Lewis said. “Also finding like minded people with similar end goals and interests is great for helping you achieve what you are passionate about.”

Lewis has been a member of the club throughout his entire high school career, and is hoping to become a physician with a focus in orthopedics and sports medicine, but is always open to change. Part of his philosophy stems from the amount of guest speakers the club will host throughout the school year.

“My favorite part is definitely the guest speakers because they are always so passionate about their work,” Lewis said. “Each one is also unique and can teach you a lot of lessons and tips on how to be successful and remain confident through any struggles for your future paths.”

In the 2021-2022 school year so far, HOSA has hosted one guest speaker, but is planning to meet with several other health professionals. Having the opportunity to speak to people who have made practicing different forms of medicine their careers is beneficial to club members and other students because it provides insight into what a certain career is actually like day-to-day. HOSA co-sponsor Jessica Rowe helps set up these guest speakers for club members to hear from.

“I have emailed people in hospitals or audiology clinics or the health department to get specific career connections,” Rowe said. “I also have friends who have science careers, specifically several who are in pharmaceutical research, and they’ve been willing speakers.”

However, HOSA isn’t just about meetings or guest speakers. Members are able to participate in service projects, one of which is dubbed “The Honeysuckle Bash,” where members of HOSA will go to local parks and remove a highly invasive species of plant known as the honeysuckle. Another project members have taken part in this year was water testing at a lake in Cottleville. Students collected water from a lake by a local church, and did numerous tests on the water, finding out its oxygen levels, pH, and temperature. There is a common theme among the service projects for HOSA; a lot of them are environmentally based. A majority, if not all of the projects are headed by Mrs. Rowe, who has taught a mixture of Pre-AP Biology, Medical Interventions, Principles of Biomedical Sciences and Biology for the past 16 years at FHC.

“We enjoy providing a little support for the StuCo blood drive and working with the Environmental Club to maintain the trees around campus,” Mrs. Rowe said. “Our volunteer opportunities are also sometimes attended by NHS students.”

When considering the accessibility and openness of the club, HOSA is very diverse with its members, and is not only for those who want to pursue a career in science. Many students who enjoy science activities and classes have joined in more recent years. HOSA is a great way to bridge the gap between the youth of today and advanced medicine.

“I think this club is for a wide variety of students.  Some people already feel inspired to pursue a science or health related career.  We have some students who just know they want to be a doctor or nurse or paramedic or geneticist.  Others have no idea what type of career they want to pursue but recognize that they generally enjoy science classes or know that they want a job where they can help people,” Mrs. Rowe said.