BCTC STUDENTS SHINE AT ANNUAL HOSA LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

May 7, 2004

The Pennsylvania Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) recently hosted its 25 th Annual State Leadership Conference, April 21-23, at the Lancaster Host Resort and Conference Center in Lancaster , Pa. Seventy-two students from the Berks Career and Technology Center attended the conference. The conference provided opportunities for personal growth, friendship, and leadership development. This year’s theme was "With Nurturing Love and Caring Smiles, HOSA Goes the Extra Mile." Over 50 health occupations and leadership events were held in five categories: health occupations related events, health occupations skills, individual leadership, team leadership, and the recognition program. Approximately 750 students from across the state participated in the conference.

Two teams from BCTC’s Protective Services took first and second place in the category of Emergency Medical Training (EMT). Each team of students in the competition was given a scenario with an injured person. The student EMTs had to evaluate the situation, determine the extent of injuries, and apply appropriate interventions and proper immobilization, if needed. Stephen Rausch, a senior in the Hamburg Area School District and Zachary Roper, a senior at Kutztown Area School District , took first place honors. Stacy Simmons, a Boyertown Area senior, and Gregory Deiterich, II, a Wilson Area junior, captured second place. A third place finish was awarded to another BCTC Protective Service team, Lisa Gustafson, a Boyertown Area senior, and Autumn Fisher, a Schuylkill Valley junior, in the category of CPR/First Aid.

In the field of Health Occupations, first and third place honors were awarded to students from BCTC’s East Campus program. Jamie Childers, a junior at Daniel Boone Area School District , captured first in Medical Terminology. The competition involved a written examination of 100 questions dealing with prefixes, suffixes, roots, and anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and occupations related to the health care community. Four Health Occupations seniors took third place in the HOSA Hula Bowl. The competition tested the team’s knowledge on various topics and situations in Health Occupations, HOSA, and parliamentary procedures. The team consisted of Jackieann Nicholls, Kerry Smale, Gracie Terrell, all Exeter Township students, and Stephani Rychlik, a student from the Boyertown Area School District.

Five Dental Occupations students captured the following medal place standings: Shauna Correll, Hamburg Area senior, took gold in the dental terminology category. Sandy Zazueta, Boyertown Area senior, presented a five-minute speech related to the theme of the conference and captured gold in the speaking skills competition.

Second place honors were presented to three students from the same program in the following categories: dental assisting and career health display. David Florea, Exeter Township senior competed in the dental assisting competition. Sophomores Heidi Kuser, Brandywine Heights Area, and Lindsay Crupi, Schuylkill Valley , worked as a team in the career health display event. The competition required the students to create a display that demonstrated the "dental team." It also included an oral presentation about the employment outlook of this profession, educational requirements, licensures, responsibilities, and salaries, etc.

All of the students listed above qualified to compete at the national conference to be held in Orlando, Florida, June 21-28, 2004.

Health Occupations Students of America is a national student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Occupations Education Division of ACTE. HOSA's two-fold mission is to promote career opportunities in the health care industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people.

Berks Career and Technology Center, in partnership with its sponsoring districts, business and industry, and utilizing a system of continuous improvement, prepares secondary and adult students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for gainful employment and further education.