Looking inside COVID’s effects on HOSA

Looking+inside+COVIDs+effects+on+HOSA

Kush Patel, Staff

The school year is gaining momentum as we head into fall. HOSA is back at it with T-shirt fundraisers and a brand new HOSA club President.

How are they doing, and how will they hold up with COVID still upon them, with inevitable signs of coming to a halt any time soon?

“Obviously we are not able to do everything that we did in the past, but we are determined to make this year look as normal as possible. We are not allowed to go into the hospitals due to COVID restrictions but we have been talking to Crossroads about some possibilities to stay involved,” proclaimed Ms. Tammy Martin, Health Occupations teacher.

Are many HOSA club members bummed of the inability to go out to hospitals and actually get a real look into the workplace?

“Currently we are just in the planning stages as to what we can do. Zoom calls, awareness, some in-school activities,” said Ms. Martin.

Although many students are not in HOSA just to go to hospitals.

“I am a member of HOSA this year to involve myself with what MVTHS offers for the medical field and to meet people with the same goals.” asserted Finley Clugston, a HOSA club member.

Many members such as Finley use HOSA as an opportunity to advance their goals outside of high school.

Jude Erasmus, HOSA Club President, added, “I am in HOSA as I am passionate about healthcare and everything medical-related.”

But how are they possibly still doing that with the long term recoil of COVID?

“HOSA’s adaption can be seen on various levels. We are now hosting full classroom meetings, and have been able to attend sporting events to raise awareness for our club and primary concerns,” explained Erasmus.

“We will be attending the IL HOSA Fall Leadership Conference this month. We will take our MVTHS officers and they will join other officers from the state of IL in leadership activities. We will also be celebrating HOSA week the first week of November and compete in our Preliminary Rounds in December to qualify for the State Leadership Competition in February,” said Ms. Martin.

HOSA is still trying to make efforts to get out there and active. For the benefits of the members, the club as a whole, and are still hoping for an optimistic year.

“I would love to see as much interaction with our local healthcare community as possible so the students can get a feel for what it is like to be in that occupation. Also, I am hopeful that we will have a big number of students that compete in the State Leadership Competition!” revealed Ms. Martin.

The goals of HOSA this year have been made sustainably viable to them.

“I want to see HOSA grow as a club this year at MVTHS. This does not mean recruiting more members (which would be lovely), but rather having existing members compete at the local and state levels. It is on this platform that you learn the most valuable skills and form meaningful relations with people who share common interests. This knowledge can then be brought back to MVTHS and be applied in the classroom,” verified Erasmus.

Whilst dealing with many other challenges, not just COVID. HOSA as a club have been trying their best to keep up with all that they can, as well as be the best versions of themselves that they can be with these unusual, unorthodox conditions.