Carson City HOSA students compete in state competition, take home 6 chapter awards

CARSON CITY — A total of 93 Career and Technical Education (CTE) and HOSA (Future Health Professionals) students competed in the Nevada State Leadership Conference held at the Rio in Las Vegas March 18-20.

There were a total of 74 students from Carson High School (CHS), 6 from Pioneer High School (PHS) and 13 from Carson Middle School (CMS). More than 1,000 students from across the state of Nevada competed in more than 40 medical competition events.

The CHS chapter came away from the state conference with 6 chapter awards and 29 students qualified to attend the International Leadership Conference in Orlando, Fla., June 18-24.

Kelly Gustafson, CHS CTE health sciences teacher, said the Carson City students exhibited professionalism, respect, knowledge and wisdom beyond their years throughout the school year, as well as in competition.

"I am so proud of our students and all of their hard work and dedication to HOSA,” she said. “It shines through in all of their work and in the awards they captured at the state conference.”

The chapter earned first place for the Largest Chapter in the state with 348 members. CHS also claimed the HOSA 100 GOLD Award where the chapter must have 100 percent of their total health science pathway students enrolled and in good standing as HOSA members. Carson and Pioneer High HOSA were the only two schools in the state to achieve this award with more than 100 percent membership (more HOSA members than students enrolled in health science classes).

The CHS HOSA Chapter was also awarded the Chapter of the Year award given to only one school. This award recognizes the professionalism, enthusiasm, hard work and commitment to HOSA. The chapter members must be active with a number attending the state conference as well as participating in state sanctioned HOSA events such as the Sister School Challenge and National Service Project and participating in the Courtesy Corp volunteering program. Earning the Chapter of the Year award was a highlight of the year for Gustafson.

The students were also recognized for their time and effort to support the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation (NPCF).

The HOSA National Service Project Award honors HOSA chapters that provide support of a national health organization on a local, state and national level. It recognizes student-planned activities that may include fundraising, community service projects and volunteer hours.

“We do a number of charity fundraising events and volunteering throughout the year. These include the Carson Tahoe Cancer Foundation (Hope Fest and the selling of Breast Cancer Awareness items), Pancreatic Cancer Society (volunteer at their 5K and golf events) and the Seeliger Elementary School Pumpkin Patch (manage a first aid booth as well as volunteer to help in other capacities and booths),” Gustafson said. “This year we also organized a ‘hat day’ and ‘miracle minute’ where we raised more than $580 to go directly to the NPCF.”

CHS CTE HOSA state competition results:

Chapter Awards:
Chapter of the Year
HOSA 100 GOLD over 100 percent membership
Largest Chapter in Nevada – 348 members, an increase from last year’s 336 members
Outstanding HOSA Chapter
National Service Project – Second overall
Sister School Challenge – Third overall

Service Bronze Award:
Crystal Vargas

Healthcare Issues Exam Qualifiers:
Hannah Hope Hodorowicz
Lizbeth Orozco
Thaniqua Williard

Health Profession Events:
Medical Math: Hannah Hope Hodorowicz, fourth place
Transcultural Healthcare: Gary Cortes Solis, third place
Nutrition: Stacy Kennison, third place
Nutrition: Anthony Kunter, fifth place
Dental Terminology: Lilly Roman, fifth place
Medical Assisting: Isela Rodriguez, third place
Medical Assisting: Bianca Sanchez Hernandez, fifth place
Physical Therapy: Rachel Rundell, fifth place
National Qualifying Scrapbook: Rachel Rundell
Pharmacy Science: Jashmeen Thind, second place
Veterinary Science: Mackenzie Meza-Moreno, first place
Veterinary Science: Lauren Roby, third place
Veterinary Science: Madison Matthews, fifth place
Extemporaneous Writing: Rachel Weese, third place
Job Seeking Skills: Abby Golik, second place
Medical Reserve Corps: Ashley Fitzpatrick, Lizbeth Orozco, Kristina Sullivan and Crystal Vargas, second place
Public Health: Jennifer Artz, Cakob Carlson, Garrett Clampitt, Sydney Lloyd and Lucas VanBrow, first place
Public Health: Alize Gonzalez, Rachelle Dominguez Hernandez, Selena Hernandez, Maria Juarez-Razo and Savanna Sharp, fourth place

In similar fashion, PHS HOSA Chapter exhibited excellence as a team and earned a number of medals and awards:

PHS CTE HOSA state competition results:

PHS also claimed the HOSA 100 GOLD Award where the chapter must have 100 percent of their total health science pathway students enrolled and in good standing as HOSA members. Carson and Pioneer High HOSA were the only two schools in the state to achieve this award with more than 100 percent membership (more HOSA members than students enrolled in health science classes).

The school also had one third-year-completer, Jadelyn Skenandore, of the CTE Health Science Career Cluster.

"I'm glad I had the opportunity to attend the HOSA State Leadership Conference for the past three years in both Reno and Las Vegas,” Skenandore said. “It has been a very enlightening experience and helped me find a career pathway that I hope to pursue."

CMS was the first middle school in the state to organize a HOSA chapter in 2017, and it has positioned students, who begin as early as 6th and 7th grade, to be on the leading edge of healthcare training and future careers as nurses, doctors and first responders.

"I am grateful that Carson Middle School HOSA students had the opportunity to participate in the Nevada State Conference this year,” Victoria Jaacovi, Introduction to Health Science (HOSA & STEM) at Carson Middle School. “All 13 students worked hard to prepare for their competitions, and all placed. Students came back with new knowledge and skills that can help prepare them for high school HOSA."

CMS CTE HOSA state competition results:

Medical Terminology: Daleah Warren, first place
Medical Terminology: Angie Portillo Lopez, second place
Nutrition: Michaela Stinson, first place
Nutrition: Sullivan Seljestad, second place
Health Career: Kyra Dunham, first place
Health Education: Emily Tran and Naomi Nguyen, first place
Health Career Display: Kate Lucas and Jocelynne Solorio, second place
Health Career Display: Savannah Lopez and Maria Elena Gonzalez, thrid place
Health Career Display: Adrian Martinez and Ziah Rizo, fourth place

About CTE
Career and Technical Education program encompasses a vast number of classes and programs that teach today's students the high demand skills needed to get a job. CTE better prepares students for post-secondary education and/or the world of work, whether they choose to enter the work place directly from high school, or select to pursue post-secondary education in a technical training program, apprenticeship, or a two, or four-year college. CTE prepares students for the world of work by introducing them to workplace competencies, and makes academic content accessible to students by providing it in a hands-on context.