From Wednesday, April 8 to Saturday, April 11, HOSA students participated in a state competition at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. After long preparations, facing an ambitious regional competition, and spending many hours on their projects, the students were ready to compete at the state level. At 5 p.m. on Wednesday, the students along with their sponsors, Mrs. Trevino and Mr. Gaines departed school for their HOSA experience.
Upon arrival, students were able to interact with other HOSA competitors in the hotel. It was a late night, so many settled down to get ready for the first round of competitions the following morning.
“The whole competition itself was a new experience where you got to meet people from all over,” Diksha Verma ‘16 said.
Thursday marked the start of the first round events. Competitors arrived early to their conference room where their category would be held. There, many students prepared and reviewed material for their presentations. Nerves circulated the air, as students from all over the state competed for the same prize: a trip to Nationals in Anaheim, California.
After competitions, students were able to socialize and hang out for the remainder of the day. The HOSA organization sponsored events such as a line dancing night and bull riding activities for recreation in the evening. An opening ceremony was also held on Thursday, where guest speaker Kevin Wanzer entertained listeners with his life stories.
On Friday, competitions continued. Some events required two rounds, so most were held on this day as well. In their down time, many students spent time doing homework, swimming, and even bonding through games such as hide and seek.
“HOSA state was so much fun,” Simran Makwana ‘15 said. “I loved having the opportunity to get to know and compete with so many kids interested in healthcare.”
Despite all the fun, the main focus was on the competition, where everyone worked hard and put forth their best effort. Many students placed within the top ten, and five have been given the opportunity to advance to Nationals.
“I was very happy to find out that I made it to Nationals!” Tanuj Mahendru ‘18 said. “This is a great thing to put on college applications, but also a great way to experience new things.”
Even those who didn’t advance should still be congratulated for their effort and dedication. All competitors worked and performed to their fullest potential.
“It is a competitive environment so even if you don’t make it to the next level, you feel accomplished when you have placed,” Verma said. “I am definitely going to try to make nationals next year.”
Overall, by providing an enriching way to learn about the healthcare field, the HOSA state competition was a rewarding experience for all who participated.
